Sequence 1 - Falling Apart
by SteinMon1920518
Summary: A fight with an unfrozen villain seems to disrupt something within Beast Boy. Now combating his inner turmoil and his collapsing DNA structure, the clock is ticking as it's left to the resident Empath to help him heal, and discover the source of his affliction. A/N: First Fanfic Implied BBRae & Mild RobStar. Rated T for Language & Violence; beware of other themes.
1. Prologue

Prologue:

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 **A/N:** This is my first fanfic, and well over a decade overdue in my opinion. Now that I'm older, wiser, and still a huge fan of the Teen Titans series; I felt this was necessary. That and I've heard rumors circulating the web that someone was casting for a Titans live-action TV series. I won't say it's true just yet, as I've been hearing this (much to my chagrin) for years with only broken dreams to count for it, and I have yet to see a plausible trailer. But hearing this rekindled my heart for the show I used to watch as a kid, so I watched it, and immediately saw things my immature brain had failed to pick up on the first six times I watched through the series (thank God for adulthood).

Personal thanks to my friends for supporting my go-ahead with this (whose names shall remain anonymous, if you know me, then you know who you are) as well as all the fanfiction writers I got to spend months reading into. You guys inspire me more than you know.

I believe this is about where a disclaimer goes; along with my admission that I do not own the Teen Titans franchise, but I figure it's like the government with taxes: I supported the show for years, so in a way, I own a peace of it in my heart; contrary to my dedication and unwilling donation to my country gaining me acclaimed ownership of the police car that pulled me over three months ago. No one was happy that day.

Without further adieu. *Que the dimming of the lights*

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Falling Apart:

Prologue-

"Dudes," Beast Boy drawled out, "do we have to fight all the time? Couldn't we just…I dunno…have a peaceful evening?"

His whining was dutifully registered, and ignored by all present, as per the norm.

Barely a few steps in the door of the Operations Room, and the Teen Titans were already glared down on by the flashing of red lights as the 'ALERT!' blinked repeatedly on the main hub computer.

"Hey man! When did he break out?" Cyborg interjected with a half-pointed finger, following the pop-up icon of a rather unflattering profile picture, displaying the cause of the alert.

A redheaded, unshaven man dressed in prison black-and-white was posed one hand behind his head and the other stuck out with a prominent 'peace' sign made with his fingers, one eye set in a wink and his tongue sticking to one side.

"Ugh!" Raven huffed in a clearly irritated monotone, having had a date with a mug of steaming tea in mind to finish her evening. "They couldn't use a different picture."

"Control Freak! How'd he escape?" Robin demanded rhetorically, his fists clenched in frustration.

"Correct me if I'm wrong friends, but did we not put thee Control Freak in a block of ice with the rest of the villains, along with the Evil that is Brotherhood?" Starfire asked, glancing around as if waiting to be proven wrong.

Four pairs of eyes glanced back at her, more than a few mouths drawn out as brows rose. Robin was the first to speak.

"Uh, Starfire…I think you mean the Brotherhood of Evil."

"Oh…yes…forgive me," she beamed nervously, gently rubbing behind her head.

All at once, the red lights stopped, and the alert sirens ceased. They glanced around, half expecting an enemy attack. But the silence persisted. Before any of them could manage to get a word out, the screen suddenly changed.

"GREETINGS, TITANS!"

A squeaky screech exited Beast Boy's mouth as he shifted bridle style into Cyborg's arms. The larger Titan barely glanced at the shapeshifter before holding his hands up, letting the now sheepish Titan fall to the ground with a bleat.

"IT IS I…YOUR NUMBER ONE NEMESIS, THE MASTER OF – " the sound suddenly cut out as the screen continued to play. The team glancing back, watching as Raven held a remote encased in a black aura floating in front of her.

The rambling villain went onward, seemingly unaware of his plight, allowing the Titans to gather themselves from the initial shock. The how's and when's of Control Freak's escape could come later.

After a few moments of silent rambling, the overweight villain glanced at them through the screen inquisitively, seeming to poke the screen from the other side of reality. Suddenly aware of their lack of response, he silently began pounding on the "screen", clearly yelling furiously at them to un-Mute him.

"What do you guys think?" Raven asked. "Should I let him talk?"

"Nah!" Beast Boy waved as he shifted back, "let him ramble. It's a lot better when he keeps the…volume…down." A moment passed, then two.

"At least we can mute someone around here," she jabbed passively, causing Beast Boy to glare at her as the other Titans snickered among themselves.

On the screen, Control Freak, clearly irritated, pulled out his signature remote, pressing a button as he materialized in front of them.

He waved his arms frantically, his mouth continuing to move with silent insistence, but no words exiting. He finally slouched with an exasperated look and pointed his own remote at himself, clicking a button.

"Seriously!" he exclaimed, "I had a whole speech planned out to celebrate my escape from the cryo-freeze. This is just like when you left the Titans East here. Like…like…like I did all of this preparation for nothing. Like the entire last page of this story should never have happened. And when did you guys look so old? How long was I under?"

He started walking around the Titans, fumbling for what he perceived as 'different'. "Robin: your taller, more muscular, your hair is longer, and the colors on your suit are…darker; but you're still dressed like a traffic light. That's good."

'I do not look like a traffic light,' Robin thought as he clenched his teeth, before suddenly wondering just how long his hair was.

"Cyborg: you've clearly pulled some upgrades. What is it? New weapons systems? Processor chip? What ever it is, it's made your circuits look…bluer."

Cyborg shrugged to the rest of the group, mouthing 'bluer'. Although he supposed he had upgraded since the last time they'd seen the televised goof. At least he didn't look like a traffic light. He hid a smirk behind a clenched fist as he began clearing his throat.

"Starfire," Control Freak whispered almost dreamily. "Hmm?" He tapped his foot for a moment, his hand to his stubbled chin in thought. "Your hair has gained some wave too it, and has a lovely new sheen. New conditioner? And your clothes? The purple, it's leaning slightly more toward the red side of things. It really brings out your eyes. And I bet your abilities have matured, but not as much as that glorious figure has." He added the last part with a less than subtle wink.

She cringed at his comment before she responded. "At least someone has done the noticing," she said with an agitated pout, glancing at a now awkward Robin, who stood torn between his girlfriend's scrutiny and Control Freak's comment.

"Raven?" he took half a look at the floating sorceress before his eyes widened. "You're less…hostile? Relaxed? What's the term here?"

She sighed, half-bored with his clumsy attempts at grasping what's changed about her; not that he would be able to tell with her cloak draped about her. The other half just wanted to throw him out the window and call it a night. He was already taking up time she could spend drinking tea. She let the irritant growl leave her mouth, her teeth mildly clenched.

Seeing he wasn't making progress, the villainous nerd's eyes moved to the last Titan. "Beast Boy," he said professionally.

"Control Freak," the Green One acknowledged, addressing him nerd to nerd.

He moved closer, spotting the differences almost instantly. "You're taller," he stated, moving his hand up and down in a sign of measurement. "And do my ears detect a lower audible to your voice? And your insufferable pitch is almost gone. Fascinating."

"Ouch," Beast Boy grumbled, his nose cringing as he sniffed. "At least I had the decency to change after two years. When was the last time you did anything that involved soap?"

"Two years?!" the villain cried. "I've been frozen for two years? How could this happen?"

"Uh, dude, Brotherhood of Evil. Cryogenic freeze. Hauled off to prison," he replied, counting off of his gloved green fingers, just to name a few.

"Ah, yes," Control Freak confirmed, walking back up the middle of the Titans with his hands behind his back, as a General marches past his troops. "I have returned my nemesai, to extract my vengeance and release my treacherous televised terrors upon you." He turned around, pointing his remote at them. "Now, any last words?"

A green tentacle lashed out, snatching the remote out of Control Freak's hand. All eyes followed its retreat back into Beast Boy's hand.

"Dude, ever heard of monologue? And how many of these remotes do you have?" Beast Boy stated, holding it out in demonstration. "Do you know how many of these we've taken from you?"

"You've taken twelve if I'm not mistaken," Control Freak replied in thought, suddenly aware that he had repeated a past blunder and was now currently without his weapon of choice in front of his enemies. "Oh…make that thirteen."

All five Titans had no problem accumulating their glares toward their current adversary. With a smug smile, Beast Boy dropped the remote to the ground, crushing it under his sneakered foot into several pieces.

"Well…this is…embarrassing," Control Freak muttered. "PSYCH!"

A strange device was pulled from behind his back, shooting a blaster beam toward the floating Tamaranian.

"Starfire!" Robin shouted as she was thrown back to the ground with a trail of smoke and an oomph as she landed. "Titans, GO!"

"Your too easily distracted, Robeen!" Control Freak teased, taking aim with his newly drawn weapon. "I may have awoken from my icy slumber, but I still wield all weapons and power that television has to offer. My return was long overdue!"

The boy wonder dodged out of the way of the blast, Cyborg quickly taking his place as his hand opened up into his Sonic Cannon.

"Oh, hell nah! Not in my house!" was Cyborg's war cry as he charged, thrusting his arm out with a line of pulsing blue energy erupted from his arm.

Control Freak dodged, crouching down in a strange stance before thrusting an open palm upward with an emphasized 'Wha-twa!', squaring Cyborg directly under the chin.

"Mind your language Cyborg," Control Freak demanded with a wink, "the viewers are reading. Do you want to increase our rating to T?"

Robin drew up an arm, releasing several flying discs as he unsheathed his bo staff. Behind him, Raven chanted her mantra, her hands forming some arcane movement as dark energy formed from her hands.

Cyborg still in play, Control Freak threw the massive Titan at the oncoming projectiles, only a near miss as Raven's power was redirected to create a barrier between them. The room filled with a bright flash as the discs detonated, a charging green leopard suddenly dazed as it ran past the villain and into the computer system.

"Woah," Beast Boy drawled as he shifted to his human form, his eyes spotted and blurry. "A little heads up next time."

With a villainous laugh, Control Freak sheathed his blaster weapon, pulling out a familiar quad-bladed, multi-colored laser sword, its glowing auras humming and crackling as he brought it up to meet Robin's bo staff. He pushed back and dodged as several green starbolts landed where he once stood. He double flipped over the two sets of dark matter claws that attempted to grab him, ducking under a sonic blast, and kicking off of a nine-hundred pound gorilla. He landed with the grace of a martial arts master, sticking his fiery weapon into the floor, forming a series strange signs with his two hands together.

"Dude!" Beast Boy exclaimed. "Is that Baku's Dragon Breath Jutsu from Ninja Village: Supreme?"

"Oh, so you've heard of it?" Control Freak asked, almost mildly surprised. "I've been catching up recently."

"I've seen every episode like…." He counted off his fingers silently as he mouthed his simple mathematics. "...Three times," he showed proudly. "Including all the extra special edition episodes."

With a smug smile Control Freak said, "Eight times."

"And you guys thought I had no life," Beast Boy grumbled to his teammates, yelping as a blast of fire exhaled from the villains mouth. A black barrier stretched out in front of him, holding back the burning tide.

"Nerd out on your own time," Raven reprimanded flatly, stepping forward with a frill of her cloak.

As the flames desisted, the barrier lowered, revealing a still smiling Control Freak. "Come now Titans, is that the best you can do? Even after all this time?"

"You do not know what 'best' is," Starfire stated, her body almost heaving as she released a rapid fire of starbolts from her conjoined hands. "And you have not changed with the freeze I see. You are still the 'Dork'."

Pulling his weapon out of the floor with Arthurian splendour, Control Freak began deflecting the bolts one-by-one in rapid succession, his blade crackling with each strike. The Titan's had to dodge to avoid the deflected blasts, a smoulder of smoke and scorch marks left in their wake.

"Oh, please," Control Freak said with the flip of his hand, already looking bored. "The last time you called me 'Dork', I was in a shipping phase. I'm so over you Starfire. I had a-lot of catching up to do on the internet recently and every fandom and forum on the internet already hitched you with the bird-boy, especially since Japan. The news practically caught the scandal on video. Add in the media tabloids and photos of your dates, they might as well make it thee One True Pairing. And suddenly my resurfacing threads are a buzz kill? _Psh!_ "

The Tamaranian had the decency to blush as her eyes and hands ceased to glow. "The photos are good…yes?"

"Ugh!" he groaned in disgust, "don't get me started." He side-stepped a swiping bear. "You should see the other stuff that is discussed." He did a crouching swipe on Cyborg, slicing a leg clean off with his blades, causing the half-robot to wobble for a few moments before falling forward.

"Man! My leg!" he shouted, turning around to fire his sonic cannon.

Stubby fingers grabbed the hand before it could retract, pulling and throwing him at the floating sorceress with enough force to knock her down.

"Oh the things people write of forums," he proclaimed, swiping away a bird-a-rang and locking blows with Robin. "Cyborg is evidently labelled 'Forever Alone'." He drew out the 'Alone', making sure he was heard as he once again parried the bo staff's multiple blows.

"Man, that's just wrong," Cyborg chimed, barely held up by Raven.

"Oh-ho, it gets better," he stated with excitement, blocking Robin's blows with apparent ease. "Get this, you're also branded the 'Ruin of Moments'." He air quoted the prior label, then suddenly looked to the side in confusion, still parrying. "Though I'm not sure how that applies."

"Whose moments do I ruin?" Cyborg demanded, clearly offended. "I know to leave Star and Rob alone."

"It's RobStar these days, and I dunno," Control Freak shrugged, "that's just what it says on the internet."

"And you can always trust the internet," Raven growled sarcastically, supporting Cyborg's weight as best as she could. "Don't listen to him Cyborg, he's just messing with your head."

Control Freak parried another flurry of blows from Robin, finally striking overhead with enough force that the bo staff sizzled in half. Kicking him away with his Astrojutsu, the nerd-supreme stood tall. "Speaking of messing with your heads, what's more unbelievable is the fan-base for you and the green kid getting together. The shippers love it."

The green bull tripped over itself mid-charge as the computer's control panel behind it exploded in wave of black lightning, regressing to his human form as he slid to a stop just short of his target, his face braking his momentum.

Still carrying Cyborg, Raven's mouth half opened and closed silently as her emotions were hastily brought back under control. Trying to formulate a response that clearly wasn't emerging, she opted to shut her mouth and looked down at the ground, her grey cheeks flushing slightly pink.

"Uh, say what now?" Beast Boy questioned bemused, looking up at the villain.

"Yeah, I know right? Evidently the fandom's like to ship you and the grey girl together. Of course, all the stories and polls say she's the domineering one, and you're just the whipped dog." Control Freak laughed, clutching his belly. "The witch…and her beast…getting together. Some ship, right?"

He heaved between breaths as he wiped away a tear. He suddenly stopped laughing, glancing down at the Green One at his feet.

"Dude," he seethed, "it's not that funny." All at once, he swiped bare-pawed at a surprised Control Freak, growling between his lunges.

"Even if… I'm… a beast…, she… most certainly… isn't… a… witch!"

Raising his laser swords in defense, Control Freak was met with surprising resistance as the green teen adjusted his body, clamping his mouth onto the handle with a sharp growl, feeling the shapeshifters cheeks between his hands as he bit down.

Almost like liquid Beast Boy changed, his eyes slitting as he stretched and elongated, wrapping himself swiftly around the villain. In but the moment it took to change, a large green serpent now held Control Freak captive in its coils, the pressure of its squeezing forcing the villain to release his weapon into the fanged maw, binding his arms awkwardly to his sides.

"Okay, okay!" Control Freak said nervously, "so I went overboard on the whole domineering and you being a whipped dog. I was just talking, nerd to nerd…hehe."

The serpent's thin forked tongue wrapped around the weapon, finding the panel that sheathed the space blades before dropping it harmlessly to the ground. The coils didn't let up. If anything, they got tighter. Its mouth opened slowly, but a few inches from the villain's face. Two primary fangs glistened, backed by a couple sets of other teeth both in its lower and bottom jaw. Two slit pupils kept keen focus on the terrified eyes of its prey.

"I'm sorry I called her a 'witch'," Control Freak screamed, trying to wiggle out, but in so doing, only bound himself tighter. "Okay, I get it! You can stop now!"

A deep hiss left its mouth, almost like a sharp exhale. The muscles of its coils groaned as it flexed just a little tighter. A single drop of liquid dripped from one of its fangs. Its arrow shaped head reared back, its mouth opening wider.

"I surrender! I surrender!" he cried, tears of fear pooling down his face. "I'll do anything. Anything! Just don't hurt me."

"Beast Boy!"

The serpent turned to see the staring glances of his teammates. Robin stood forthright with his bo staff at his side but clearly readied. Starfire floated in the near back, her hands held worriedly to her chest and her eyes pleading. Cyborg was still held upright, watching with near unbelieving eyes at the scene before him. And Raven looked as passive as ever, if not for the insistent gravity of her amethyst irises.

The changeling reverted back to his original form, standing just behind what was once his prisoner. The hefty nerd still stood there unblinking, unmoving, his legs stiff but supporting him.

"Boo."

With an undignified shriek, the villain known as Control Freak fell forward onto the ground, panting erratically as he curled into a ball.

Robin and Starfire rushed past the changeling; the alien hovering just off the ground curiously while their leader checked his condition.

"He's still breathing," Beast Boy stated coldly, "he's just in shock."

"What were you thinking?" Robin asked, more concerned about the villains welfare than expecting an answer.

"I just made sure he'll keep his mouth shut next time," Beast Boy stated, walking away. He stopped just next to Raven, turning to meet her cloaked violet eyes as he laid a firm but gentle hand on her shoulder. "Don't listen to him, he's just being a jerk."

"Thanks," she muttered, shifting her weight slightly.

"For what?" he asked, looking at her funny as he removed his hand.

"For…you know…saying I'm not a witch."

"But you're not," he stated simply, completely straight-faced. "You're you."

She didn't know how to respond to that. She tried to find the words that would express how much that meant to her but, it was…difficult.

"Y–"

"Ummm, I hate to interrupt, but could I get to my room already. I need a new leg," Cyborg stated pointing down, drawing both attentions down to his missing appendage.

"Sure," Raven stated not unkindly, just as monotone as before the fight, whatever had been on her mind immediately forgotten. Dark energy enveloped the tin-man, and she began guiding him to his room.

Beast Boy stared after them for a moment after the door had closed before returning his attention to a now recovering villain. Tromping over and pushing Robin out of the way (much to his irritation and alert), Beast Boy grabbed his fellow nerd by the chin till the met eye to eye again. There was fear in those eyes, and he could feel the villain tremble before him like a terrified dog, smell the adrenaline through his sweat as his fight-flight-or-fail responses ultimately chose 'Fail'.

"You ever call Raven a witch again, I'll test whether or not a little venom goes a long way. 'Cause you and our fans don't know shit about her." He felt a hand clasp onto his shoulder, looking up to see the narrowed eyes of his leader.

"Maybe you should head to bed. You must be tired," Robin insisted, an order just underneath his tone.

He roughly let the cowering villain collapse back down, walking away.

As the automated door hissed open, he turned back around. "How's that for a T rating?"

Once Beast Boy was gone, Robin looked down at Control Freak, still trembling something fierce. He hadn't seen someone this terrified since Raven's darker emotions had attempted to consume Doctor Light just a few years ago. The stark difference was that it was Beast Boy's actions this time, and they had seen this kind of behaviour from him before... sort of.

"What is it Robin?" Starfire asked, her feet hovering just inches off the ground, a worried look on her face.

"I'm not entirely sure…yet," he answered, glancing at one of their more or less frequently occurring villains.

Control Freak didn't say a thing. His eyes had grown wide, and his body made a scarce attempt to tremble. Any sound that came from his lips was muttered; the only indication he was still alive.

*Que Theme Song

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 **A/N:** This is just a draft, until I can gain some more experience and edits, and then I'll send it off with a proverbial bang! I want to enjoy the experience as well as the writing, and sharing some of my own ideas.

I must be poetic on my view of the "Flames" I have heard so much about. I believe this to be akin to "Criticism" particularly directed at a story (correct me if I'm wrong). As I have made this the ideal of what I believe "Flames" to mean, I shall explain my preferred direction of these "Flames".

I welcome "Flames" to the same extent I would roast a marshmallow. Too little "Flames" (criticism) and the mallow is undercooked, and raw, and personally tastes weird. Too much "Flames" and the mallow is burnt to cinder as not but an offering to the campfire. I would prefer the "Flames" of Constructive Criticism, so that when this story is well cooked and decently edited, I can make it into a lovely S'more (sorry if you can't eat s'mores)

That being said, Review as you see fit, but also let me know what you like best about it (I live off of the affirmation of others, but I want to write this story whether I get it or not). Also please understand that any fan-fiction jargon that gets thrown my way will either have to be explained, or I will have to look it up (either way) as I am still fairly new to this. Suggestions for future ideas are welcome, but I do have a general direction planned out for the story (as well as any sequels depending on how this first one does).

And on that note, enjoy the story. There are several more chapters to come, and I don't think I'll be stopping until it gets out of my brain (although it does make for some sweet dreams)

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Hard Edit Update 4-14-2018

Final Edit Update 9-29-2018


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1:

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 **A/N:** Two Reviews, three Favorites, five Followers, and over a hundred views in almost two days. You guys got me so pumped, I decided to go ahead and post the first chapter. Not sure how the Review, Favorite, or Follower thing works per chapter, but I'll learn as I go.

I'll try to post responses at the bottom for any QCC (Questions, Comments, or Concerns)

All the same, thank you guys. It's made my week...and it's not even over yet.

I'd like to try and get a chapter posted per week, but I won't promise it. As my momma always said, "If you want to make God laugh, tell Him your plans." Unfortunately, life has a way of making a mess of even the most carefully laid preparations. All the same, I'll try to get these chapters out as quickly and cleanly as possible (however long it takes)

Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans franchise, and I'm still too rough around my fanfic edges to have a good solid joke to demonstrate my displeasure at this fact.

Without further adieu. *Que the dimming of the lights*

* * *

Falling Apart:

Chapter 1-

*End Theme Song

The large T-shaped tower stood isolated from the rest of the city on its own island perch in the middle of the Bay, as much a monument to the Titans formation as it was their home. While blue skies were a regular occurrence in Jump City, the northern wind fronts were sending down a mild cloud cover upon the west coast, with about a forty percent chance of rain threatening the area if one bothered to listen to the Weather Channel.

Cyborg currently stood in the kitchen whistling his happy tune as the Waffle-o-Matic 3k Turbo launched six large waffles onto his plate, each delectable piece adorned with semi-melted golden squares of butter spread and smothered to perfection in the dark amber liquid that was syrup. Clearly proud of his newly tested toy, he walked over to the table, plate and utensils in hand.

"Celebrating?" a usual monotoned voice asked from the couch. Raven sat there, engrossed in a book on the theories of ancient tomb curses. Her midnight blue hood was drawn back, allowing her shoulder-length purple hair to flow freely onto the couches arm rest.

"Hell yeah!" Cyborg hooted. "We took down our first big baddie in two months! Well... big by current standards." He cleared his throat, looking inquisitively over at Raven. "But what gave it away?"

"The whistling, the _six_ waffles, the fact you bought yourself _another_ waffle maker." She glanced over at him, raising an eyebrow at the last part.

"The signs were pretty clear," she finished, returning to her book, but not before sipping on her cup of tea; the aromas of ginger, chamomile, spearmint, jasmine, and lemon lingering around her.

The commons room door hissed open, prompting curious eyes to look up from their otherwise pressing matters.

"Oh friends," Starfire stated with delight, her form seeming to glow just as bright as her smile as she entered the day-lit room, "have you seen the boyfriend that is Robin?"

"Probably down in the evidence room," Cyborg stated with a gesture of his fork. "Control Freak should have been safely on ice like all the other villains. He's probably trying to figure out how he got out in the first place. And probably checking to see if any other villains got out too."

"So he wishes for thee 'time of aloneness'?" she asked curiously, gently floating down in front of the dining table. "Oh, I wish he'd talk to his _Ni'ena-kuper'fos_."

Raven glanced at Cyborg, and shrugged. While the mixed cultural language that came with the Tamaranian was confusing, she figured it was best to let her figure it out rather than ask for a translation.

"Uh, Star," Cyborg interjected, gently aware of the meaning of her alien words, having studied the Tamaranian language while he was hyped on the Max-7 processor chip. "It's fine. Every now and again, your boy Robin just needs to think things over."

A thought came to mind as he noticed her mood wasn't improving. "Is he being a good boyfriend?"

Full green eyes looked at him, almost mortified that he would ask such a question. "Oh yes friend!" she responded. "Robin is a grand boyfriend. He is kind, and thee attentive, and strong, and…." She seemed to struggle to pronounce the word.

"…Courteous." She smiled with a far-off look on her face, gently holding one arm with the other. "Robin is more than I deserve."

Cy stuffed a waffle into his mouth, clearly not as fazed as the princess. "Then don't worry about it. Robin is just being Robin. He'll talk to his _Gen'da'hen_ when he's ready."

She beamed at his words, even if no one else understood, and gently wrapped her arms around the seated Titan. "Thank you friend, you have done the soothing of my soul."

"Any time Star," he said, returning the hug while avoiding the fullness of it. His reasoning: His hands were messy, he'd already seen what happens when Starfire got syrup in her hair, and he wasn't looking for a repeat.

Raven just watched them, a small but eased smile playing her face. While the princess was still troubled, she could sense the relief that now settled on her friend. She would be fine once Robin came out of his 'Cave'.

As if marking the end of a moment, the door hissed open at the proximity of another of the Tower's occupants.

"Dew, WUTHUP?" Beast Boy yawned, clearly out of his time zone as he stepped through the threshold. He stopped and stared as their alien friend, who still had yet to separate from the larger Titan. "Uh, something happen?"

The redhead separated from her friend, floating over to the new addition with a bright smile. "Yes. Friend Cyborg has been giving me the good advice."

"It was about Robin again, wasn't it?" he asked, his tone marked with curiosity.

When she nodded her excitement at his understanding, he sighed. 'Only Tin-Man', he thought.

Still yawning, he walked past Starfire and into the kitchen, opening the fridge with a click as he attempted to find his meal for the day. Finding his soy milk of choice, he hazily jumbled over to the cupboards to grab a bowl and his marshmallow puff-bites box before sitting down.

One shake. Two shake. A puzzled look played out on his face as Beast Boy attempted to draw out the boxes contents into his bowl. He shook the box again. No rattle…no cereal. Befuddled, he glanced inside the box. He was suddenly awake, screaming internally at the sight. EMPTY! It was EMPTY!

"Um," he started, hiding the majority of his pressing thoughts. "Has anyone seen my cereal?" He glanced at the front of the box to make sure he got the right one. Yep, it was his.

"You sure you didn't eat it all B?" Cyborg asked innocently, chowing down on another waffle.

"Yes," Starfire agreed, "you are known to eat much of the sugared breakfast foods."

Beast Boy looked up in thought before deducing, "No, shopping was Saturday. So I couldn't have eaten it all. This was still a relatively new box. So…what happened to all of it?"

Raven risked a glance over, expecting the changeling to suddenly start interrogating someone over his lost breakfast. It's what he'd done for years when someone consumed or disposed of his food, but…. A wave of disappointment seemed to ooze from him as he sighed. Uncharacteristically, he just set down the box, got up, and walked back to the fridge, looking for something else to eat.

"You alright man?" Cyborg asked, clearly not expecting his buddy to give up so easily on his missing one of his only preferable breakfast foods. "Normally you'd be freaking out by now."

"I have my suspects," he said half-heartedly, rummaging around through the fridge before pulling out a pre-cut package of tofu. "No matter how I slice it at this point: it was either payback for something I did, or an accident. No use getting worked up about it, at least…not this early."

"Friend Beast Boy, you do not wish to engage in the yelling and the demanding of who has consumed your food?"

"Nah," he said with a small smile, pulling out his new meal. "I'll just get another box next shopping trip."

Raven did a double take, the last half of the sentence she'd just read completely forgotten. "You're not mad?" It should have been a statement, her being an empath and all, but it came out as a question.

"Oh, I'm plenty mad," he said reassuringly between chewed bites, "I'm just not in the mood to act on it."

She observed him again, gently sensing out those emotions flowing off of him.

There wasn't an ounce of anger in his entire being. Disappointment, yes; Worry, without a doubt; but as if in counter, some large orbs of Hope wisping in and out of his being like fireflies. But what stood out most was how the normally bright changeling now seemed to lack the hue he normally possessed. Even the night before, after facing off against Control Freak, she had taken a glance at his radiant aura. But today, he seemed so…dim; the only light in his aura coming from his Hopeful sprites. And none of it directed at his cereal.

"If it brings you closure," she said, absently sipping on her tea, "Cyborg turned your cereal into powder, and blended it into his waffle mix."

"Way to kill the payback Raven," Cyborg muttered, quickly stuffing another waffle into his mouth as if he could get rid of the evidence.

"Was this for replacing your bacon with tofu?"

Three sets of eyes fell on the Green One in disbelief.

"Uh, actually it was for eating the last of my grandma's homemade potato salad. She was even nice enough to make it vegan for you," Cyborg amended before muttering, "And Grandma Stone made it taste good with no bacon or eggs too." Noticing that Beast Boy hadn't made any attempt to comment, he raised his one eyebrow in observation. "Are you feeling alright BB? Normally, you and I would be bugging lil' miss grumpy over there with our arguing by now."

Raven had the decency to look peeved as he pointed to her with his thumb. But still she kept her eyes on Beast Boy, genuinely curious about why his aura would change so drastically overnight.

"I see its quiet this morning," Robin smiled unaware of his interruption, walking into the Commons with a more than pleased grin on his face. He looked at a clock hanging just above the fridge. He looked down, then looked back up. "Uh, Beast Boy…you do know it's before eleven o'clock…right?"

"And?"

Shrugging his shoulders with a somewhat disappointed look on his face, the Boy Wonder walked past them to the fridge. It didn't last long as a smile once more settled onto his face. "Well who would expect you to be up this early? I mean, we aren't even doing our monthly intense training workout today and I already feel like today is near perfect. Quiet morning…you're up early…and we might finally get some rain today." Just to name a few.

More than a few glances said that they took offense to his 'intense training' comment, clearly wondering how _that_ constituted to a perfect day; but for the most part Beast Boy just sighed inwardly now that the attention was off of him. He glanced to the side, noting a particular Empath was giving him a quiet glare that said he wasn't out of the woods as far as she was concerned.

'Ah man,' he sighed inwardly.

"Any who," Cyborg grumbled, "did you find out anything about how Control Freak got out of deep freeze?"

The mood quickly tensed as all eyes turned inquisitively to their leader.

"Not much," Robin said, crossing his arms and leaning back as he closed the fridge empty-handed, his good mood slightly fouled. "I checked with the maximum-security prisons. Evidently, they blame us for not putting Control Freak on our 'Most Wanted' list."

"Which means?" Cyborg encouraged.

A frown on his face, Robin looked up, "They transferred him to a lower security facility, one that didn't have backup generators. He thawed out when they had a short power reboot."

"So how did he…escape?" Raven continued calmly, cautiously weighing Robin's reaction versus her word choices.

"He had an extra remote," Robin explained, wondering how the thought had never crossed his mind. "He was able to get out through the security cameras."

"Where did he hide it?" Beast Boy wondered aloud. "I mean sure he was frozen, but you'd think we'd have made sure he didn't have…." He cut himself off as the realization dawned on him. "Dude, that's just…nasty."

Realization also dawning on the other Titans, they each cringed to themselves.

"That is the…disgusting," Starfire acknowledged, shaking her head as she held her shivering body. "Let us talk no further on such…gross and unpleasant things. The matter is that he is returned to the prison, yes?"

Robin's sigh told everyone that this wasn't necessarily the case. "No. He's in the detention center."

"What!?" multiple voices cried, chairs falling backwards as the other male Titans suddenly stood up.

Raven sighed irritably, marking her page and closing her book before gently floating over. "There goes that silent morning," she muttered. The fallen seating utensils were encased in a black aura as they righted themselves, even as she pulled out another chair to seat herself. 'This outta be good.'

"What do you mean he's still in the Tower?" Cyborg demanded, his hand resting possessively on his chrome chest. "In _my_ Tower? The detention center? Really, Robin?"

"Does that mean you made sure he didn't have an extra remote, this time?" Beast Boy asked. "It would suck if we caught him just so he could escape again."

"Yes. I was very…thorough this time." Even their leader had to shake off the unpleasantness of the thought. Starfire even made a show of gently floating behind Raven as a sign of revulsion, much to his chagrin.

Their point made, he continued. "They need time before they can set up another cell for him. With most of the villains frozen these past couple years, containment has been relatively easy."

"But whenever a new super-villain shows up or an old one thaws, they can't just put them on ice," Cyborg finished, his thoughts catching up with Robin's. "Only the Brotherhood and Doctor Chang had the kind of tech that could do that _and_ keep them alive. And I'm assuming they haven't been able to reverse-engineer it."

"I could name a few big shot companies that would either love to have access to that technology, or already do. But it's rarely as…preserving as the Brotherhood's was," Robin confirmed. "The UN is _still_ debating with France over how they allowed a criminal mastermind to hide directly under their nose. So no one has been authorized reverse-engineering until the hazing has stopped."

"I believe the term 'mastermind' explains 'how'," Beast Boy answered. "Besides, the Brain could have hidden just as well under Paris as anywhere else, although…." He took a moment to gather his thoughts. "…I guess France makes sense when ya think about it."

Four Titans glanced among each other before looking at him, Raven chiming up as their mutual spokesperson. "And what do you mean by that?"

"I mean the Brain is French, Malla is French, and Rouge is French," he said like it was a common knowledge. "So it makes sense that they'd hole up in the one place that has all the comforts of home for their big finale."

"Malla is a gorilla," Cyborg pointed out critically.

Unfazed, Beast Boy just looked at him. "He's a French gorilla. He's still French."

'Just because I thought about making French toast this morning, doesn't make it French cuisine,' the tin-man retorted mentally, consuming another waffle to keep his mouth shut, grumbling as he chewed.

"And you just thought of this now?" Raven asked, clearly irritated that so much trouble could have been avoided with such insight, albeit about two years too late.

"Uh...," he chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck with his normal half-goofy grin, "…hindsight is twenty-twenty? Besides, I only said it makes sense. We found him in friggin' South America the first time, and there's absolutely no reason for him to be there. I'm just saying that defeating him on his home turf was ironic."

"The only irony here is you using the word 'ironic'," the Empath jabbed sarcastically.

He just smiled at her, one of his usual goofy smiles that revealed his mild under-bite and pronounced lower canines, his pointed ears wiggling slightly in tease as if to say 'you know you like it'.

"Back on topic," Robin stated, refocusing his team. "Until they have a cell prepared for Control Freak, we're holding him here. And as far as they are concerned, they haven't had anyone else thaw out. Control Freak wasn't the first villain transferred to a lesser facility, but I bet they're transferring them back."

"I should hope so," Cyborg affirmed, "a blunder like that again, and we could end up with someone worse out and about, like that little circuit rat Gizmo." He clenched his fist, thinking about all the times that punk had messed with his systems in the past. Now he was more or less content that the little twerp had been MIA for the past couple years.

"Please friends," Starfire interjected gently, "let us not think on such terrible people. While there are many villains not thee accounted for, we have removed a great many from the theatre."

There was a moment of silence, earning a confused look from the otherwise sincere Tamaranian. "Did I say something wrong?"

"Um, it's 'play' Starfire," Robin corrected kindly. "We removed the bad guys from 'play'."

"Oh, yes. I see," she said with a smile. Even after all the years they had been together, her full grasp of the English language was still…innocently lacking.

"Speaking of removing from play," Cyborg smiled, wrapping a large arm around Beast Boy, "what was up with that last night? Three critical moves in one game, I'd almost be proud of you Grass Stain if I thought it would last."

"Um, three? Game?" Beast Boy asked trying to unwedge his head out from under Cyborg's massive arm. He already didn't like where this was going.

"Mmm-hmm," the tin-man said with a smile, using the robotic fingers of his free hand to count for emphasis. "That fight with Control Freak. First, you take away his remote with that stealthy little snatch'n'grab of yours. Second, you smashed his little toy. And third, you practically single-handedly whooped his ass. If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were holdin' back B."

Beast Boy attempted a laugh, but it felt about as fake as they came.

"Speaking of last night." Beast Boy swallowed as Robin clearly decided to shoot straight for the kill shot. "What was that last night Beast Boy? You were acting overly aggressive, and you took threatening him too far. And I did some research, there's no record of a snake like that."

'Of course, you did the research,' the changeling thought bitterly. He'd been doing everything in his power to avoid this, and now Cyborg had offered him up on a platinum studded diamond platter.

He tried to think of a way out. He could try bluffing, but Robin was in a 'no joke' mood judging from his tone. He didn't have an excuse prepared and he certainly didn't want to talk about it, but knowing Robin….

"It was nothing," he deflected, putting on his best smile as he pulled himself free of Cyborg's grasp, "just trying to scare him a little. Raven did it to Doctor Light, so I thought I'd give it a shot." He scratched behind his head with a nervous chuckle. "Was I convincing?"

'Of all the bull you could come up with,' Raven thought, starring foam daggers at the changeling; it may not have been killing intent, but they would still get the point across. He barely met her eyes before turning away quickly.

"Uh-huh?" Robin raised an eyebrow at the exchange, clearly unconvinced. "And the snake?"

"What snake?" he asked, doing his best to keep his nervousness from showing. "The one I turned into last night?"

Robin gave him the 'no-shit' stare.

"I think it was just a big Python or something," he said, realizing he was scratching the back of his head nervously. He quickly sat on his hands to keep from nervous fidgeting, but Robin seemed to notice. "Maybe an Anaconda?" he offered weakly.

"Last I checked Beast Boy," Robin said, moving a little closer than the green one felt comfortable with, "Anaconda's don't have venom dripping off their fangs, and there isn't a venomous snake alive that gets that large. And you should know what you turned into…so try again."

'Oh, so now he's a detective,' Beast Boy complained internally.

Beast Boy could feel the back of his neck sweat, the top of his head itching with nervousness. Robin only put pressure on people like this when he was in "interrogation mode", and it only made it worse that he was on the receiving end. He didn't have an answer, not one that would satisfy Robin, and it didn't help that he didn't know himself. It just sort of… became part of him. He changed without thinking. Instinctually. And the snake had just been the result.

"Is it that _thing_ again?"

Beast Boy winced at Robin mentioning it, but he supposed it hurt more that he referred to it as a 'thing'. It wasn't his fault that no one knew what it was, much less himself, but…it wasn't bad from what he could tell. It wasn't for that 'thing', as Robin called it, Beast Boy wasn't sure Raven would be here with them.

He glanced up past Robin's face, meeting the Empath's eyes. Her face was a blank slate as usual, staring intently at him, as if also waiting for his answer. Still in thought with himself, he swore he caught it. The little ray of light he practically daydreamed about. It was faint, but he could have sworn he saw her eyes soften and her lip shift into a smile. It was a sharing of appreciation that only she could give, as if she understood what was going through his head… and knowing her, that was quite possible.

"What? That werewolf thingy?" Cyborg demanded, interrupting both Robin and Beast Boy. "Nah man, I gave him the antidote. And in case ya hadn't noticed, B isn't acting all carnivore. Plus, the only time it came out was with Adonis, so I stand by the results."

Beast Boy sighed inwardly, doing his best to shield his feelings from Raven as he thought back to _that_ time. He supposed they had all been too busy going all out against an undead, demon-powered Slade and his army of flaming thralls to notice his second time transforming. He could remember that feeling of adrenaline pumping through him as he got angry at the inter-dimensional creatures. They had been there to take Raven away, take away his friend, and even now, that thought made him seethe.

'I'm not losing anyone else,' he thought forcefully, closing his eyes to quickly drown the memories that began to surface.

 _CRASH!_

The sound forced him to open his eyes as he looked at the source of the noise. Two of the common room windows were shattered, a fading black aura disappearing from view as quickly as it had appeared.

Almost instinctively, everyone was turning to Raven, staring at her as she lowered her head, attempting to hide herself under her hood. Her cheeks were flush with embarrassment, as she quietly reined her emotions back under her control.

"Um, sorry," she said in a soft voice, her shoulders laxing beneath her cloak before they could tense.

"Is something wrong friend?" Starfire asked quickly. "It would seem you have become thee set of up."

Taking a deep breath once more, Raven raised her head, her eyes at least showing underneath her hood. "Beast Boy saved me," she stated firmly, earning her a more than baffled look from the changeling, "so stop calling him a 'thing'. If it wasn't for him, I-" She let the thought go unfinished. She knew they all did a lot for her sake, giving her space when she needed it, and overall respecting her desire to remain separate from them.

But deep down, if she had the desire to dig that deep within herself, she knew she owed him for a lot more than that. She was only sitting at the table right now because Beast Boy had drawn her out, sometimes irritably so, of her own isolation to feel mostly comfortable around people over the years. He respected her solitude, but that didn't mean he let her dwell in it.

Plus, she felt she owed him for his kind words the previous night.

The atmosphere was cooler as the open window blew in the scent of a possible rainstorm, almost sobering in tandem with Raven's words.

"Fine," Robin absolved, turning to leave before he realized he hadn't eaten yet, sagging his shoulders in mild defeat. "If Cyborg and Raven can both vouch for you, then I'll let it slide." He quickly turned back to Beast Boy, his stare intent. "But on one condition. If you feel anything is off or odd, you immediately get to Cyborg for a DNA scan. Otherwise, you know what happens. Do you hear me?"

If the oppressive feeling that fell on Beast Boy's shoulders was any heavier, he thought he might just lay down and never get back up. He knew what Robin meant. Everyone but Raven knew what Robin meant. He wasn't trying to be a jerk, just protective…in his own demeaning way…even if Beast Boy was always on the receiving end. Suddenly, the threat of getting kicked off the team _and_ -slash- _or_ imprisonment sounded mildly, if not depressingly, appealing; even if it was just a threat at this point.

"Yes sir," Beast Boy whispered, his ears drooping lower. He could sense the sorry looks from Cyborg and Starfire as Robin continued walking away, but more importantly…. He glanced up, his head still hung low, to look at Raven. She was making a habit of giving him that look, like she was trying to extract the answer from him with a silent inquiry. He didn't have a reply, so he opted to just looked back down in defeat.

"You alright B?" Cyborg asked in concern, staring down at the shapeshifter after Robin had disappeared. "I'm sorry man, he didn't have to go that far."

"No, he's right," Beast Boy amended, earning him looks from everyone, "I acted out of line last night, and I can see why he'd think 'it' was coming back out. I'm the one who should be sorry guys."

"But you did not do any thing wrong," Starfire pointed out, resting a hand on his shoulder. "You acted as in the right, even though it was without the permission. As friend Cyborg has said, you stole the Control Freak's remote and dealt a decided blow." Beast Boy looked up into those gentle green eyes, wondering how they were so encouraging after knowing what Robin had insinuated. "Perhaps your intent was not to harm the Control Freak, but truly to scare him."

Beast Boy only shook his head, the startled looks returning to everyone. "No, I know what I felt in my instincts, and it felt like I was gonna bite him."

Saying that felt sour on his tongue, like he could still taste the cheese-puffs, garlic potato chips, and sweat from Control Freaks space sword. It was like the guy never washed his hands, and it had taken Beast Boy four brushings to get the taste out of his mouth.

"And the venom?" Cyborg asked, looking at him intently.

He could only shrug. "I don't know. I didn't think about what I turned into, I just did it. But Robin was probably right about that too." Yeah, that taste wasn't coming off with a standard brushing.

It was silent longer than Beast Boy would have liked. They could make fun of his birth name right now, and he'd take it like a pro; it wasn't his fault he had the same name as a fat orange cat. Anything was better than them going quiet; almost anything anyway.

"Well don't sweat it man," Cyborg said suddenly cheerful, gently bumping his shoulder. "After we get those windows Raven busted cleaned up, you up for some Game Station, Grass Stain? I've got Rocket Racers 5 with some pedal to the metal."

Even Cyborg's competitive nickname for him and his mood change did little to rouse Beast Boy from his stupor. "Nah, I'll sit this one out. I think…I'll just go back to bed, since it'll probably be a slow day and all." He gave a mild attempt at a smile. "I'm up way too early anyway. Wake me if there's trouble. Or... you know, let the Alert do that."

Almost half-consciously, he put his soy milk and resealed tofu back in the fridge and returned his bowl to the cupboard, aware that he was watched every step of the way. Grabbing his empty cereal box, he tossed it in the trash right before he left with the hiss of a closing door behind him.

It was a slow and lonely trek back to his room. He didn't recall the hallways being this long before, but he guessed it was all in his head.

He sniffed, wiping away a stray itch in his nose.

'I guess I can't do anything right, huh', he thought in dejection, remembering Robin's words. A serrated pain shot into his left arm, bursting through his nerve endings up to the forefront of his cranium.

" _Gaaah!_ " he cried, holding in his outburst in as he placed a hand over his eye, his head beginning to send the shooting pains all over his body.

His sharp inhale brought with it a flurry of sensations that immediately began rushing through him, categorizing and distinguishing themselves as powerful aromas. He could smell the ground, the overwhelming scent of long mopped dirt and mud mixed with powerful cleaning chemical that seemed to scratch at the front of his brain. He could smell his room, a scent that once kept him comfortable in its musky embrace, but now overpowered his nose in pungent disgust. He could smell the gasoline and oil of the T-car several floors below, their lingering scent almost as terrible as the cleaner on the floor.

He could smell his friends, each one of their scents stretching out in a unique fragrance that could almost be distinguished as individual colors. He could "see" where they had walked the night before, each scent unique and telling a different story; the biological chemicals of their beings playing out before him.

He steadied himself on the wall as his balance faltered, leaning into it as he clenched his eyes shut, not because of the pain, but because it was too bright. Bright white circles leaped about his vision, and even closed, left some dancing afterimages. His ears rang, his fingers brushing against the wall sounding like an earthquake. And that taste, that god-awful taste just lingered on his tongue.

 _Pathetic. Fool. Worthless._

He felt it in his left arm, the one that held him to the wall. A pain erupted, eating deep into his bones. Pulling, snapping, biting; he felt his arm shifting too quickly for him to grasp a solid shape. One second it felt like a paw, the next a pincer, the next a set of claws, the next a hoof, the next a sprout of tentacles. It wouldn't stop, it couldn't just be one or the other; it was like it had to be all of them at once.

It hurt, he couldn't feel his arm anymore, and yet it hurt so much.

' _STOP IT!_ ' he shrieked mentally, listening as it echoed all over his being soundlessly.

" _CRACK!_ "

His senses rushing back to their original place, his green eyes staring lidlessly at nothing. With the rush of his overwhelmed senses returning to normal, he felt nausea like he'd never experienced before. He couldn't bend over, he couldn't heave, he could only stand there as it washed over him in a terrible drove.

He gained a little feeling in his neck and began to turn. He didn't know what was more terrifying: this experience, or what he was seeing now. Where his forearm had been, a strange shape had projected itself outward from the stump, moving in all directions like the spines of a sea urchin. It remained his colour of green, but it shined lightly like the carapace of a beetle, its spines piercing into the walls, the floor, and the ceiling.

Terrified, he tried to imagine it as it was, as a hand; as his hand. It didn't budge. Gasping lightly, and his heartbeat pounding like a war drum, he clenched his eyes shut as he forced the image of his desire upon the shape. He felt the spines slowly retreat, pulling themselves out of the Tower as easily as they had dug themselves in. It took all his effort, all his focus. Even morphing into something as big as a Tyrannosaurus had always taken less effort than this. He felt his arm slowly turn to a near formless state, shaping itself like putty until his hand sat reaching back at the wall gloves and all.

Terror gripped him, and his instincts took over. He ran…he ran as hard and as fast as he could manage. His door hissed open, but not fast enough. He jumped into his bed, burrowing himself silently into the sheets. Safe, he was safe, and yet he was scared.

He began sobbing. It hurt so much, but at the same time it was a bitter-sweet release. He felt his covers tremble with him as he pulled them tighter, unsure of what to do. He could feel his left-hand gripping tighter over his chest as he hugged it closer, trying to bite his lip to keep any tears falling. The taste of copper entered his mouth as his fangs bit a little too deep.

"What's happening to me?" he cried, but it came out little more than a sob, and he couldn't do anything more to stop the tears from falling when no one answered.

* * *

 **A/N:** If there is anything that needs edited, or is connecting in a weird way for you guys, let me know and I'll try to clean up the text.

Also, just for future reference, if you guys ask questions and I write "Spoilers!", this will mean that I have the answer set in a later chapter (I have to keep you guys coming back some how ;) )

Again, constructive criticism is a must have, and I don't think I can grow as an author without it.

 _Tamaranian Translations (Original Translations):_

 _Ni'ena-kuper'fos_ \- "one who is close to the heart, but emotionally distant." This is not in correlation to the Rekmas.

 _Gen'da'hen_ \- quiet literally: "one whose heart is shared"; lover; beloved; true love; soul-mate; used on Tamaran between two couples in a very deep, emotionally bonding and emotinally intimate relationship.

Anyhow, I'd like to respond to my first two Reviews in a show of thanks (I don't have any emoji's to put here, so I'll respond with this: *beaming happy face*). Please pardon if I seem to be rambling.

abbey290901: I've been writing on and off for almost a decade (aspiring novel author since I was a teen). This is just the first Fanfic that I felt good enough about to go ahead and join the Fanfiction community. As for Beast Boy: 5 seasons (still too soon), 1 movie, and two years of potential character growth. He's still Beast Boy, but no one stays the same. Things Change

Plutonimus: Thank you. I use a three-step grading process: 1. Edit as I write the chapter, 2. Edit after I finish the chapter, 3. Edit as I prepare to post. It's not a perfect system, but it helps

To both of you: I look forward to hearing from you guys on this chapter, and any further chapters I post (because there will be more).

Thank you for stepping out and being my first Reviewers

* * *

Hard Edit Update 4-14-2018

Translation Update 4-29-2018

Final Edit 10-14-2018


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2:

* * *

 **A/N:** It's been a week since my first release (YAY!) and so I shall celebrate with another posting.

We're at five Reviews, seven Favorites, eight Followers, and almost four-hundred views in a week. Thank you guys for your support (P.S. I use this particular note as a kind of mile stone for myself)

I do post responses to any relevant QCC (Questions, Comments, or Concerns) at the bottom of each chapter, so review away.

I'll be taking the next few days to do more of a hard edit for the past few chapters, so let me know what you guys think as I update.

Disclaimer: I _**still**_ don't own the Teen Titans franchise, just like I'm _**still**_ not a millionaire

Without further adieu. *Que the dimming of the lights*

* * *

Falling Apart:

Chapter 2-

 _Ten Minutes Earlier…_

"Man," Cyborg huffed, crouching down with a broom to clean up pieces of glass. "What the hell was going through Robin's head?"

Shaking her head unknowingly, Starfire floated down to assist with a dustpan. "I will attempt the talking to him, later," she offered. "I believe friend Beast Boy to be in the right, even if he would have harmed the Control Freak."

"How so?" Raven asked curiously, gently moving her hands, a black aura gathering up multiple shards of glass. "Isn't the point of being heroes to not needlessly hurt people?" She knew she wasn't one to talk, having been the portal of a rage-incarnate inter-dimensional demon, hell bent on dominating this and all other worlds; who also happened to be her father.

However, when the Empath thought about it, she couldn't help but wonder what had gone through Beast Boy's head. Even being there to see it, she couldn't recall exactly what had gone through her own mind as Control Freak had made jest at their expense, or as the changeling had stood up for her. She had long since stopped listening to people calling things her 'demon', 'spawn', or 'witch'. While such words still hurt, they didn't define who she aspired to be. But to have someone defend her was...elating; even if she knew she didn't need to be defended.

Starfire turned to look up at her. "Control Freak called you 'witch'," she explained innocently, as though they hadn't all been there. "I do not think any of us thought much of his words, but clearly Beast Boy did." She paused, letting it sink into both Titans. "He came to the aid of his friend's good name, quickly striking down such slander with quick and righteous fury, with no fear to his own name or honour being questioned.

"On my planet, to have such an act of valour performed in your name is of the highest honour, even when the defender is wrong. It means your defender trusts your goodwill." The alien princess looked down. "I did not think of it, how hurtful it is to be called 'witch' after fighting for so long, and so hard, to control your power. Friend Beast Boy must hold you true and dear to his heart to have noticed and acted on this so quickly.

"I am sorry we did not," she finished, lowering her dustpan. Her entire being seemed to deflate as her hovering descended, a dimming to her bronzed lustre.

"It's no problem," Raven replied calmly, depositing her collection of glass in the trash. "It wasn't that surprising to be called 'witch. I'm used to it. And it certainly didn't require Beast Boy to threaten him."

"Nah, but you saw that right," Cyborg said, a big smile playing across his face for his buddy, a quick sweep putting a portion of the glass into Star's dustpan. "Last night, B was on fi-ya!"

His apparent delight quickly faded. "And after what Control Freak said last night, about us growing up, you'd think Grass Stain had matured a little." He paused in thought. "I might have to start callin' him Wasabi instead of Grass Stain."

"But he has matured," Raven stated plainly. "It's not always obvious, but he has."

The other two Titans glanced at each other in question before looking back at Raven. "What do ya mean? B's always been like that. Sure, he grew two inches now and doesn't sound like a record scratch, but he hasn't changed _that_ much."

"When we first met the Doom Patrol," she replied flatly. "He's changed since then."

"Really?" Cyborg questioned rhetorically, his human eye raising in interest. If he was honest, he hadn't really been paying attention. Beast Boy was just...well, Beast Boy.

'If only they knew', she thought, looking down in deep thought, mentally going through the last three years. 'It might have started even before then.'

He was still Beast Boy, sure. He was still a kid at heart that still told lame and inappropriately timed jokes, he still picked fights over the dumbest things, he rarely thought things through, and he still seemed to go out of his way to aggravate her. She couldn't count the number of times he'd poked and prodded at her personal space; how many times they had fought over the years; or how many times she'd hurt him with her remarks or abilities.

But there was something deeper than his carefree, goofy persona. She'd only caught glimpses of it when she viewed him through more 'empathetic' eyes. Pain, sorrow, fear, anger…loneliness; buried so deep into his emotional psyche that even she had to dig deep into the changeling's heart-of-hearts to find even a shifting glimpse of it. Somehow, he'd constructed a mask of immaturity so convincing, Raven had never thought to look at him twice when they first met; just another man-child unwilling to grow up, as if he had always worn his heart on his sleeve.

She had been wrong. She had seen his reaction when the Doom Patrol's distress message reached them after five months, when the Brotherhood of Evil had broken his adopted family apart, and how he had pushed the team to bring it back together. The entire war with the Brotherhood had brought out a side of him Raven never thought possible. Things like single-handedly defeating Kardiak, or keeping the remaining Titans together, or leading an assault against the Brotherhood of Evil; those were things she'd never have expected from him. He was different: stronger, bolder, a glimmer of intelligent even.

But after the Titans had been saved, the Brotherhood finally defeated, and they'd returned to Jump City, he'd gone back to his usual self, as if nothing had happened. And then they'd gone to Japan in search of Brushogun. It was as if he was making up for his season of maturity. She had seen enough. She couldn't take looking at that button-pressing, immature mask he wore; knowing that there was someone better underneath. How the others failed to notice was beyond her. She'd slapped him after his vacationing in Mexico comment, as if hoping _that_ Beast Boy would come back.

He didn't, at least, not all at once; but she guessed it had still left its mark. Over two years he had grown, not just physically, but mentally and emotionally. He didn't needlessly bug her during her meditations or prod her to entertain him, and when he did, it was methodical, as if purposefully demonstrating that he was intentionally doing it to draw her further out of her shell. He had even straight up challenged her to stick around and endure their agitating fights and competitions, not only to integrate herself, but test the level of control she could maintain. At least that's what she assumed he was doing. Not that she expected him to admit it aloud.

These days, he seemed to maintain a more controlled persona in her presence, as if he would intentionally let his mask slip a little bit of his true self to her. But his actions with the other Titans remained a rouse, even to the point she wondered if he intentionally set himself up so she could reprimand him or make him the butt of his own joke, just for a moment of "normalcy" for the other Titans. At least, just enough so that they didn't notice his change.

Even during Control Freak's impromptu jail-break and trespass, she'd felt that moment he'd slipped off his mask where no one else could, as her empathy receiving his emotions through her chakra like an antenna. How quickly the villain's insinuation of a deeper relationship between the two of them had stunned him for a moment, and the next emerged a surprising rise of anger just because she'd been called a 'witch'. And his reaction had been so…authentic, and genuine.

With the two Titans sitting next to her, she wondered just how blind they were to his changes; whether he was just that convincing or they just didn't want to see it, or if she had some special insight for being an empath. Because today, it felt as though the changeling had forgotten to put his mask back on; now it felt as though he was saturated in most of the negative feelings he usually kept buried deep in the recesses of his heart.

"Just take my word for it," Raven responded, knowing by the looks on their faces that they had no idea what she was talking about. Azar! She wanted to strangle him sometimes, but when she thought about it, the shapeshifter was a lot like her: hiding his feelings because he was just as afraid to hurt people as he was of being hurt. He just wore a different mask than she did.

"He is probably just feeling in the garbage disposals that are down," Starfire stated confidently. "There is no need to worry. Friend Beast Boy always returns to his normal being."

Raven still wasn't convinced, but only time would tell if he would return to his forged persona; whether that was a good thing or a bad thing, she couldn't honestly say. Besides, she had something else bothering her.

"Maybe," she thought aloud, allowing her mind to pull up another point of concern, "and what did Robin mean by 'you know what happens?' It sounded like they had a less than pleasant talk or something?"

It was like an iron rod had been braced to each of the two Titans backs; their shoulders stiffening in response to her question. Clearly a sensitive subject. They both did that annoying glance at each other that said they shouldn't talk about it, complete with Cyborg's weird neck jerks and Starfire's fingers suddenly finding themselves interesting as they interlaced nervously. After a few wordless exchanges that left Raven looking back and forth between them, they both sighed in resignation.

"Robin was reminding Beast Boy of a talk they had," Starfire admitted solemnly, bracing her hands against her elbows in a gentle self-hold. "He was angry because he thought friend Beast Boy had hurt you."

"When was this?" Raven said, her face remaining stoic as stone with her surprise as she tried to think back to any point in their history that Beast Boy had even formulated a wisp of thought to hurting her. To her immediate realization, none was coming to mind. He was too gentle and kind, sincere and…courteous. 'Azar! I sound like Starfire.' He didn't need a mask for those thoughts or feelings. They were as much a part of him as self-control was for her. But he _was_ still annoying.

Even when he had become aggressive after being exposed to recombinant genetic chemicals, even when he angrily shifted like he was prepared to fight her; he wasn't going to hurt her, only trying to scare her. She had no doubts about that.

Starfire clearly didn't want to answer, like it was some private conversation that she was never meant to hear about. "When the Beast Boy had turned into the 'thi–' creature to save you from Adonis," she answered, doing her best not to refer to Beast Boy as a 'thing'. "That is when Robin and Beast Boy had the talk."

"You were unconscious at the time," Cyborg clarified with a frown, after noting Starfire didn't wish to continue, "and Robin– Robin told B that if he was the one who hurt you, he'd not only get kicked off the team…he'd go to jail. End of story."

Raven felt her second set of eyes attempting to open as Rage suddenly burst within her, but she grit her teeth as a close second option. "And you didn't stop him?" she demanded, her brows furrowing as much from shock that Robin would say anything like that, as to why she was suddenly so angry.

"You were in his teeth," Starfire stated, as though that made up for their assumptions.

"We didn't know what to think at the time," Cyborg responded, not bothering to make excuses. "B _was_ acting pretty weird, and after that big fight you two had…what were the chances he was innocent at that point."

"And what was Beast Boy's response?" Try as she might, she couldn't keep all of the emotion out of her voice. She wanted to remain neutral, impartial, but something inside of her couldn't help but ask.

Cyborg just looked down in shame. "All B did was ask if you were gonna be alright. There was nothing else that mattered to him."

She floated closer, barely a few feet from his face as she attempted to glare him down. "I was going to bring about the destruction of the entire damned world; I was the portal that brought Trigon here," she seethed, her mask of indifference and monotone all but gone. "You guys knew that. You knew that, and yet you did nothing but support me. You didn't push me away, you didn't threaten me, you didn't shun me.

"Why the Hells didn't you do the same for Garfield?!" she demanded, a dark energy slowly enveloping the Commons. "You knew nothing about me, and you certainly didn't know a thing about him. He's one of the most selfless and supportive people any of us know. So where was your support for him when he needed it?!"

Before she could register the other Titans surprised looks or reign in her outburst, she doubled over, some stray glass digging into her palm.

'Wha-?' was all she had time to think. And the window glass imploded.

A rush of pain shot straight into her mind, shattering the barriers she had placed there, like a wrecking ball to a picket fence. Her mind felt overwhelmed, the bursting sensation tore through her psyche and brought down her walls.

Then that feeling, like her entire body was being ripped, falling apart from within. The sound of something screaming in perpetual agony battered her mind against proverbial rocks before suddenly stopping.

She was on her hands and knees; listening to the muffled sounds of Cyborg and Starfire trying to figure out what was wrong. Tsunamis of fear, sorrow, and loneliness continued to hound her, not letting her breath, and she swore she heard herself whimper.

The glass she had fallen on was drawing blood. 'Good.' She used it, gripped it tightly, and allowed the direction of her own pain to pull her back into the moment.

She was trembling, her arms wouldn't stop shaking. She gripped the shard of glass in her hand tighter, but the shaking didn't stop; no matter how much her hand hurt then, it couldn't stop her from reliving that feeling of being rend apart. She knew it all too well. When she had become Trigon's portal to this universe; that was the feeling she remembered. Like she was being shredded apart at the near cellular level, feeling as every iota of her was vaporized.

And that scream. Just remembering it made her body heave violently.

"Raven, talk to me!" Cyborg said, patting her on the back.

As if in response, her balance plummeted, and she fell to her side. Her head hurt so much, and she clutched her arm as if it were in pain. 'Who are you?' she reached out mentally, tears blotting her vision. 'Why are you in so much pain?' She couldn't have waited for the answer even if she had wanted to, if it ever came at all.

Still shuddering, her eyes rolled into the back of her head, and it went dark.

'Help,' she projected weakly.

"Raven?" Starfire asked in concern.

Cyborg immediately opened the console in his arm, typing in a couple base commands. To his relief, the pulsating beep told him what he needed to know.

"She's alive, but her heart beat is erratic," he said, typing in new commands, before picking her up as gently as he could manage, unable to pry the bloodied glass from her hand. "Starfire, I need you to get Robin up to Med Bay Two. I'll do my best to find out what happened."

The Tamaranian was but a streak as she left Cyborg to his devices, dutifully carrying out the assignment she had been given.

* * *

 **A/N:** And with that, Chapter 2 is out. A little shorter, I know, but I had to leave it kind of in a cliffhanger for my own sake. There is a lot more to come, and I'm going to be hitting on some serious (but not too serious) BBRae this next chapter.

But first, I'll be cleaning up the story thus far with whatever criticisms you guys have posted for me, and just as a general sweep to see if there was anything I wanted to change, delete, or add...since we're still pretty early in the story.

Again, if there is anything that needs edited, or is connecting in a weird way for you guys, let me know and I'll try to clean up the text.

As always (and I'll just keep posting this because its true), keep posting your constructive criticisms, as they will help me know what to look for in my future writings, and for the days I decide to do a hard edit. I look forward to growing as a writer for you guys.

As far as response to Reviews, the newest ones since my last chapter were all from Guests. But one of them did give me my first criticism (also a YAY!). If there is anything else that can improve the story as it is right now, let me know.

I want to thank you guys for the show of support, and I should have the edits coming out soon. And if I have time, I'll see about posting the third chapter since I know where I want to go with it...mostly ;)

* * *

Hard Edit Update 4-14-2018

Final Edit Update 10-14-2018


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3:

* * *

 **A/N:** Just short of two weeks since my original posting (So Happy!).

We're at seven Reviews, nine Favorites, fourteen Followers, and over seven-hundred views in almost two weeks. Any more excitement, and I may have to restart my own heart. Thank you guys for your support (P.S. I use this particular note as a kind of mile stone for myself)

Don't forget to post any QCC so I can post responses (I hope they're as fun for you guys as they are for me)

Sorry about the Hard Edit delay (it was only one day, but one day is "still one day late" as my old English teacher would say). I got home from work and decided that being exhausted was a good excuse to skip. Apologies, but my goatee needs its rest; it can't look fabulous all the time, it needs to chill every now and then.

That being said: the Prologue, and Chapters 1 and 2 should have been updated. Let me know about the new edits. I'm hoping all I did was clear up, build up, and add to the story.

Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans franchise, but I know I do in another universe...somewhere out there.

Without further adieu. *Que the dimming of the lights*

* * *

Falling Apart:

Chapter 3-

"Hang in there girl," Cyborg stated, his circuit commands activating. Several small suction-headed wires snaked around the unconscious sorceress, placing themselves on her head, left arm, right foot, and chest as he hooked up the monitoring system. A separate set of wires quickly injected themselves an inch below her elbow crease directly into her veins, the contents clear of stray air pockets, immediately flowed into her bloodstream.

He did his best to move quickly without jostling her, trying to remember some of the doctoring he'd taken upon himself to study. After a particularly bad bout with Punk Rocket and his newly formed Rocket Band, Starfire had taken a tougher than standard thrashing, prompting him to suggest that the team needed some sort of medic. And since he'd long been caring for the teams more pressing medical emergencies, and as the consensual Big Brother of the group, he'd been volunteered, Raven taking point as his second since she could actually heal others with magic.

But his most outstanding qualification for the job was multi-tasked deployment. He could function in two roles if need be. The number of tools he had integrated into his primary function systems could be pulled out in a combat situation, allowing him to more than just deal with first aid, and the upgrades he'd customized himself were more than suited to the task. That and his new Situational Launch Platforms (SLP, or "Slip") allowed him to call fully function operation rooms into the field, among other things, with a single prompt to the Tower.

However, his Second was down. Her heart rate was erratic, she was bleeding mildly, and had suddenly fallen unconscious. He had nothing that could explain her sudden changes in behaviour, except one, but he was only going to make that call when Raven herself was able to confirm it.

He turned a corner and entered the hissing double doors of Med Bay Two. Already, the systems had been prepared via Cyborgs silent command, ready to receive the downed Titan. Even as he laid her on the bed, he knew something was wrong. She wasn't floating; ergo, she hadn't entered her healing trance.

His wires detached, mechanically seeking purchase into the Bay's machines, continuing the process that Cyborg had initiated. He wanted to start immediately, but he didn't know what was wrong, so he couldn't do anything about her condition, but….

He attempted to remove the glass shard from her clenched hand. Even as his fingers brushed her hand, she squeezed tighter, drawing more blood. She rolled away from his attempts to remove the glass, curling up until she was fetal, and hugging the arm that held the glass as though it was hurting. Even unconscious, her teeth clenched, and her eyes furrowed as though she were experiencing some great anguish.

"B-beast– Boy?" she muttered between breaths.

'Grass Stain?' he thought. 'What is going on in that head of yours? What about BB?'

As if in answer, the door hissed open.

"Dude, what's going on? Why'd Raven call for–" Cyborg didn't turn around, too busy trying to figure out what was wrong, but the voice was definitely Beast Boy's.

"What...happened?"

'Oh no,' Cyborg thought nervously, turning around as fast as possible as the venom of malice practically shot into his human half. His glowing mechanical eye immediately honed in on the changeling.

His pupils were rapidly dilating, and his teeth bared; he was hunched low, his nose sniffing as though it had caught the scent of blood…Raven's blood. His glance shot from Cyborg to the sorceress, all hooked up to the monitor and IV stations, before she could be hidden from view, his eyes widening quickly.

"What happened?" he asked again, a growl prominent in his throat as he began stepping forward. "Why is Raven bleeding?"

Cyborg recomposed himself as the Titan stepped forward intently, choosing to ignore him and refocus his efforts on Raven instead. "The blood is from some glass, but the rest I'm not sure. She collapsed while we were cleaning up. I sent Star to get Robin, but I can't find anything wrong with her physically." He left the rest unsaid, but implied.

"You don't think its…Raven's mind-dimension, do you?" he asked, stepping up next to the tin-man, glancing down at her with worry clearly written on his face. "She doesn't look like she's having an easy time of it."

"That was only one of my guesses," Cyborg confirmed. "I could think of a number of villains who'd love to be able to shut her down too, but I don't know any with the hoodoo-voodoo skill and known-how that could do it."

"The Puppet King and Malchior," Beast Boy stated, wincing as he brought up the evil dragon's name. "As far as the mental capability: Psimon, Phobia, and the Brain come to mind. And for revenge: Doctor Light, Trigon, Mumbo, and a few fore-mentions"

"You always keep tabs on villains?" Cyborg asked with a raised eye.

"Not really," Beast Boy replied sombrely. "Not enough to know who's on ice and who escaped capture."

The two Titans turned as the door hissed open again, the last of their group slowly assembling.

"Friend Beast Boy," Starfire exclaimed, flying forward, "I am glad you are feeling better."

"Not really," he muttered, glancing up to barely meet Robin's masked eyes.

"How'd _you_ find out?" he demanded, crossing his arms.

'Ass,' Beast Boy thought. "I felt something was wrong, so I went to check it out," he stated simply. "I came in here and…I could smell her blood."

Robin raised an eyebrow, turning to Cyborg for confirmation.

"Hey, don't look at me, man. B showed up a few moments before ya'll did. As far as I can tell, he's more concerned about her than you are right now," he said, laying his hand on the changeling's head with a mild thump. "Give him some credit."

"Beast Boy? Credit?" he said in disbelief, scoffing as he moved around them to view Raven. "Any ideas?"

"A few," Cyborg said with a glare. 'Oh! We are not done with this conversation, Robin. And when Raven wakes up, she gonna have more than a few words with all of us.' He cringed as he remembered the last of their conversation before she passed out, and the anger on her face as she confronted them. 'We all have plenty to answer for. I just hope we didn't cause this.'

"Like?" Oh,yeah. Robin was all business right now.

"It could be 'someone' is loose in Raven's mindscape, maybe father-dearest is returning, or a number of psychic or mentally magical villains. BB was just listing off a few before you two came in."

"Beast Boy, keeping track of villains?" Robin asked, clearly more agitated now. "Anything else that would be worth mentioning?"

"Robin," Starfire interjected gently. "Now is not the time. If someone has harmed friend Raven, then we must do the kicking of the butt in severe proportion. Getting mad at Beast Boy for providing the assistance will not do the helping her."

Robin seemed ready to argue, but quietly complied, giving Beast Boy a full lecture with his eyes. To the changeling's credit, he stood there and took it.

Raven groaned aloud, returning all of their gazes to the issue at hand. Beast Boy didn't hesitated to give her his undivided attention. Looking at her in this state brought back too many memories.

He could remember how lost she had been, back when she was doomed to bring about the world's destruction. Distant, unnerving, cold, and mysterious; and a little bit creepy if he was honest. She was quick to put up a wall between her and anyone who got too close. So…he chipped at those walls, broke them away piece by piece until she lashed out at him, knowing no other way to keep him at bay. As if that would stop him.

Now she was…amazing. She was still distant, still mysterious, but no less powerful. He could tell how much she had changed since her sperm-donor's defeat. She was more open to demonstrating her feelings even if she couldn't show or express them, accepted that he was going to keep attempting to destroy her walls, she didn't lash out at him unnecessarily now, and she was almost…respectful sometimes. He liked meeting the new her, as much as he liked growing into his new self.

But she was still lonely, still afraid of how interacting with others could affect her emotions, and how quickly her emotions could destroy what she held dear. The harder she attempted to hold on to something precious, the more likely it would crumble within her grasp. She was lonely, because she didn't want to destroy what she could come to care about…what she did care about.

He understood that, at least a little.

"Hey Rae," he whispered nervously, his eyes narrowing sadly as he looked at her all hooked up to Cyborg's monitoring machines. "I hope you get better. You can sense and use the emotions of others, right? So you can use it. Use my Hope." His words ended as little more than a mumble, no one hearing it except himself.

The swift and fluctuating beeping of the monitor slowed to a gentle and rhythmic beat almost instantly. Her expression of pain eased into a calm and relaxed feature. Her eyes darted back and forth underneath her lids, as if she were dreaming.

"Friends, she has become the stable," Starfire proclaimed happily. "Once she has healed, I shall make the Pudding of Wellness, to celebrate her joyous recovery."

"That's our girl," Cyborg said as he double checked the med-systems. "Tough as nails. And here I was thinking about grabbing her meditation mirror."

Beast Boy shivered at the thought of Starfire's Tamaranian cuisine, but more so of the mirror, knowing firsthand that it was a bad idea to mess with anything involving Raven's head. Shaking it off, he glanced at her again. She was going to be fine, but he wondered if his thoughts had anything to do with it.

He spotted it. He shook his head to make sure he wasn't asleep. Nope, not asleep. It was still there.

Raven asleep, and…smiling. His heart melted. She was like an irresistible sleeping kitten. Not just one of her attempted smiles, or even one of her relaxed smile; but a warm and beautiful smile now lit up her face. He had fought with her for this moment for years, and now that he was seeing it…he couldn't see it enough.

"Dude, she's kinda cute when she's asleep, and smiling," he thought. It took him a moment to realize he had thought it out loud. His face flushed in embarrassment, not bothering to glance at the eyes he knew were on him.

"Huh-huh," Cyborg insinuated, gently elbowing the shapeshifter. "So you like girls that are sleep-smiling?"

"No…yes…. Is that a trick question? You make me sound creepy," Beast Boy fumbled, before his face was grabbed swiftly by the Tamaranian.

"Friend Beast Boy, perhaps you have the fever," she said, one hand checking his cheek and forehead. "You are a little warm in the head."

He gently pushed her away. "No, I'm fine," he insisted, knowing full well he wasn't, before changing the subject. "I just think that Raven looks better when she's not trying to hide her feelings, even when she's asleep. Maybe one day, she'll be able to do that freely."

"Like Hells that will happen," moaned a passive voice. "If you're going to joke, do it when I'm awake enough to toss you out a window."

"Oh," he said nervously, turning his head around like his neck joint was grinding gears, "Raven...your awake…sleep well?"

The sorceress was laying flatly, no longer curled up and she'd let go of the glass shard. Absently, she attempted to sit up, stifling a groan as she did so.

"Hey easy," he cried, moving to help her, only for her to give a mild head shake. She wanted to do it herself.

"How are you feeling?" Robin asked, his back leaning against the wall.

"Yes friend, where does it hurt?" Starfire inquired as she began orbiting around the bed nervously.

"Ugh, I feel like someone put my head through a cheese grater," she said, clutching her head with her clean hand while glancing at her wounded hand. "And this stings."

"Well your vitals are fine at least," Cyborg stated, reading some of the diagnostics in his arm.

Beast Boy wanted to make a joke. He was desperate. She might finally laugh. After all she had just smiled, but…. He resigned himself for now. He trudged over to the washing sink and pulled out a few paper towels, getting them mildly wet.

"Here, hold still," he said with a motion, gently taking her wounded hand in his. "This might hurt a little." With that, he began cleaning her wound.

"So what happened?" Robin demanded. "Starfire said that you just suddenly keeled over."

"I was– I was…." She held her head with her free hand, watching Beast Boy slowly clear away the blood from her wound. It stung mildly, and the cut was deep from her grasping the glass so tightly. Luckily, she'd be able to heal it with no problems.

"Hey don't push it Rae," Beast Boy said with a warm smile, both his fangs jutting out over his upper lip. "One thing at a time. Hey, Cy, could you get me some disinfectant and some gauze."

"It's Rae- _ven_. And I can heal it myself," she stated in an even tone. She tried to summon her power to her hand, feeling it lift, only to fall short. Her power plummeted, causing her head to swirl and her stomach to twist in knots. All at once, she was dry heaving.

"Gah!" Beast Boy shrieked, fumbling with the bloodied towels as he started panicking. He'd never seen Raven this sick before, and now he couldn't even tease her about it. He looked around for something, anything. A chromed bowl caught his eye, and he quickly grabbed it, dumping its components on the ground, and shoving it under her chin.

No sooner had he done so, she threw up. The retching was quite literally the most retched thing he had ever heard. He couldn't watch, and he knew she wouldn't want him to, but he did. She was trying to keep her hair out of her face, one hand holding it back while the other tried to keep from dropping the bowl.

"Here," he offered, gently relieving her hair from her hand as he pulled it back, using his fingers to create a makeshift ponytail.

She tried to speak, but immediately threw up again, grasping the bowl firmly with both hands now. Her fit done, she glanced at him from the corner of her eye. "Thanks," she said hoarsely.

"No problem," he grinned, letting her hair gently down.

"You just had to dump out my stuff," Cyborg mumbled with a pout, handing him the gauze and some disinfectant. "Now I'll have to clean the Med-Bay to make sure I have all the pieces to the Nanoscopic-Recovery field I've been working on for over three years, but nooooo! Raven needs a puke bowl!"

Accepting the items gratefully and ignoring everything else Cyborg said, he returned his looked her in the eye, pulling her wounded hand away from the bowl. "This is gonna hurt, so brace yourself."

He gently poured some of it on her hand. Other than her fingers twitching slightly, she gave no indication that it hurt. He wiped the access away, and began almost expertly wrapping her hand, being careful not to aggravate it further.

"You're really good at this," she said with a sliver of what might have been impressed.

"I used to get cuts worse than this all the time when I was little," he answered half-heartedly.

A twinge of raw pain and sorrow seemed to puff off of him to Raven's eyes, but otherwise he didn't betray his innermost feelings.

"You never mention when you were little," she said cautiously, gauging his reaction. "The most we know about you is when we met the Doom Patrol."

This seemed to rouse the curiosity of the others, much to Raven's chagrin. She slapped herself mentally for bringing it up with everyone else around.

Robin just cocked an eyebrow, keeping silent as he let the others formulate the questions.

"Yeah man, what happened before you were with the Doom Patrol?" Cyborg inquired.

"Yes. I should very much like to know about friend Beast Boy when he was still a _Bumgorf_. Who was your _K'Norfka_?"

She could see that piece of him. That piece she so rarely got to see, like all his pain and sorrow was being drawn out like poison from a wound. Just as quickly it faded, his mask securely in place.

"Steve and Rita," he smiled. "I mean, Mento and Elasti-girl. They were my K'Norfka. They're my parents. And I don't really remember much before that. What matters is that they raised me and I met you guys."

Raven could sense him…telling a half-truth. Was that lying or a perspective truth? She groaned inwardly at the complexities of that mask he wore so well. 'I don't know anything about him,' she thought more in frustration than in self-disappointment.

A flash of pain to her head caused her to grip the bowl tighter. She was reliving it now in vivid detail as she recalled her conversation before she felt that…overwhelming pain.

"You," she hissed, turning her glance on the intent wall flower that was Robin.

The boy wonder's face looked shocked, not knowing what warranted a reaction like that from her. Starfire and Cyborg were holding deadly still, aware of what Raven had remembered, and trying not to get caught up in her wrath. Beast Boy didn't even glance twice, glad he wasn't on the receiving end for a change.

"You!" she growled again, black tendrils forming off her body as her second set of eyelids half-opened. They rushed forward, only to fall short of the team's leader as she retched again, the power fading away into thin air. All her eyes closed, her primary ones squinting as a something painful came to mind.

"Where is it?" she rasped in a half-tone, trying and failing to summon her power to search for whatever had cried out to her previously.

"Where's what?" Robin begged to ask, his body only vaguely aware of what happened, but his mind still processing it. 'I'm not dead,' he thought.

'The one time-' Beast Boy thought, ripping the end off the gauze and tying it gently around Raven's hand. Now done, he gently curled a stray hair behind her ear to prevent it from getting sick laced through it, curious what Raven was talking about.

"Uh, Raven," Cyborg said, approaching cautiously. "What are you talking about?"

She gripped both her hands around the bowl, squeezing so tight it audibly groaned. "I felt it, it was screaming so loudly. There was…so much fear…so much pain." The last part escaped as little more than a whimper. "It wanted the pain to stop so badly."

"Hey Rae." Beast Boy's arms were unexpectedly around her, holding her head tightly to his chest. "Whatever it was, we'll find it. Just take it easy."

She pushed him away, not unkindly, but put the bowl down to hold his shoulders as she forced his eyes to connect with hers. "You don't get it Beast Boy. I've never felt anything like that, and I was forced to watch the end of the world. I've never felt so much pain that it destroyed my mental barriers.

"It felt like I was being torn apart from the seams, rewoven, and torn again."

She let go of Beast Boy to stifle a sniff, clearly holding back tears before her face became as passive as a stone once more. "I need to meditate. Without my mental barriers, I can't effectively use my powers. They keep my emotions in check and the emotions of others from overwhelming my own, and whatever happened–"

"Overwhelmed your barriers," Starfire stated in understanding.

The alarm suddenly blared to life, flashing red lights a clear indicator of some threat or other.

"Trouble!" Robin stated, his entire being jumping to action. "Titans, GO!"

He ran as fast as his athletic build would carry him, followed quickly by a floating Starfire.

Raven tried to follow out of habit but was quickly forced to sit back down by a large mechanical hand.

"Na-uh," Cyborg chided. "You stay here. Whatever it is, we'll handle it."

"Are you sure?" she asked, clearly not aware of how she appeared; all crestfallen, wide-eyed, and the beginnings of salt stains down her face.

"Leave it to us," Beast Boy said with a cheery wink. "I'll do enough fighting for the two of us."

He suddenly grimaced. Cyborg didn't seem to notice, but she did. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," he said, holding his arm. "Nothing to worry about. You just lie down and get some sleep." He quickly ran after the other Titans.

"Watch out for him," she asked as she looked out after the shapeshifter.

Cyborg observed her reaction critically. She had changed a lot in the span of a few minutes. And he supposed she was right: Beast Boy had changed too. Just watching him treat her so gently, he almost seemed like…nah! It was all in his head. Beast Boy was Beast Boy, and he wasn't ever going to change. He was just worried about her was all.

"No problem. Maybe the alarm went off for that thing you felt," he said, quickly rushing to action.

"I doubt it," she responded, with no one there to hear her.

* * *

 **A/N:** And with that, Chapter 3 is out. Still a bit shorter, but I'm glad I got that out (I cried a little watching this in my head...*sniff* I need a sixth season). I promised some BBRae, and hopefully I delivered.

Again, if there is anything that needs edited, or is connecting in a weird way for you guys, let me know and I'll try to clean up the text. I do accept grammar and spelling errors too (PM these if possible, and I'll add them to my next Hard Edit)

As always (and I'll just keep posting this because its true), keep posting your constructive criticisms, as they will help me know what to look for in my future writings, and for the days I decide to do a hard edit. I look forward to growing as a writer for you guys.

(Review Response disclaimer: I ramble sometimes. That's just me being excited. If I don't ramble, I'm still excited, just calm. Also, I have a "different" sense of humor. It's not you, its me.)

And now for the new Reviews Responses:

\- owlcitylover: Appreciate it! (I'm smiling right now) There will be plenty more. Hopefully, I can get another chapter out before this next week is out.

\- TomMaier: If you've read this far into the chapter, than you'll realize that your wish has been granted since your review :D

*End of Review Response

Chapter 4 will be a bit different. I have a bit to go over before Chapter 5, as I feel I may need to cover some separate character development that will explain Chapter 3 and tie in with any future chapters. That being said, there will be scene breaks in the next chapter.

* * *

Hard Edit 5-14-2018

Final Edit 10-14-2018


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter 4:

* * *

 **A/N:** Just short of three weeks since my beginning this larger than life adventure. Wow. Time flies.

We're at ten Reviews, ten Favorites, nineteen Followers, and over *coughs as I choke on my own air* over twelve-hundred views. You guys can't see it, but...I'm seriously crying right now. Dudes aren't supposed to cry, like ever. But I'm choking on my own air, so it's cool...right? Kidding, but not kidding. I _am_ crying right now. Tears of joy are the most beautiful tears...and they are also the sweetest. Thank you guys for your support (P.S. I use this particular note as a kind of mile stone for myself). I mean it, this is turning out better than I ever hoped.

Don't forget to post any QCC so I can post responses (I hope they're as fun for you guys as they are for me)

It's been an active week, and I'm actually ahead a little in my writing...by two and a half chapters (including this one). I won't post further yet, mostly so I can give you guys time to digest this one, partially for editing purposes, and a great deal so I have a "cushion" in case I have a less productive week (hey, I get writers block like everyone else. I'm not invincible...or am I?)

It's been a thought of mine, but now I'm seriously considering sequels. My problem as a writer (and in life sometimes) is I can think seven plus books into the future and everything in-between, so it makes it hard to focus on the first book. But I've been doing really well with this (according to your responses), so I allowed myself some thought room. But I won't do any Spoilers (just tease you guys with the concept of more to come). It's still really early in **_Falling Apart_** to be jumping forward...and I still need titles for the sequels. *Shrugs* Eh, it'll hit me like Kevin Mcallister throwing a brick at my head. Just gotta remember to write it down

Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans franchise; but I have a full-time plus job, am single, and relatively good with kids...wait a second...

Without further adieu. *Que the dimming of the lights*

* * *

Falling Apart:

Chapter 4-

Cyborg was running down the hall when he spotted Beast Boy waiting for him, some distance away from the eyes and ears of the Med-Bay.

"Man, get runnin'," Cyborg ordered. "If we're late to the party, you know we're both gonna get chewed out by Robin."

The changeling held up a hand, motioning to 'stop' to the tin-man. Cyborg complied, but he glared down at the green teen.

"Man, this better be good. We're gonna get an ear full for this," he complained.

Beast Boy seemed nervous, his feet shifting nervously in self-contempt. Whatever it was, he clearly didn't want to talk about it. Finally he took a breath and went for it. "I want you to take sample of my blood," he stated as straight-faced as he could muster.

"A ' _what_ ' now?" Cyborg never thought he'd hear those words come out of the shapeshifters mouth, and never so seriously. He knew Beast Boy hated needles, just as much if not more than he hated meat. And he really hated meat. As far as he knew, he had misheard.

"A…DNA sample." He looked defeated, and by now, one might expect that he was used to getting his butt handed to him on a diamond-studded golden platter. But now, he looked more so, if that was even possible at this point, like he had…lost a friend.

He hadn't misheard. Beast Boy was asking for him to meet a condition of his remaining at the Tower, per Robin's threat. Even as the tin-man glanced him over, he couldn't see anything wrong with him. He had acted normal (for Beast Boy) and hadn't shown any aggressive tendencies or carnivorous appetite. Sure, he had whooped Control Freaks butt; but none of that aggression had been directed at any of his friends.

"It's not the werewolf thing," Beast Boy assured, as if reading his mind. "It's…well…something else."

He pulled up the sleeve to his left arm. Scales like that of a lizard, traced up his arm, almost swaying across his skin. Beast Boy held back a flinch as he held the formation in place, refusing to let it shift. It was tiring to hold it in check.

"What is it?" Cyborg asked. "A rash?"

"I don't know," Beast Boy stated. "It started acting up a little while ago, and–" He couldn't hold it in as the scales suddenly grew spines on end, causing him no small amount of pain.

Seeing this, Cyborg looked it over. "What are you experiencing?" he questioned intently, gently lifting Beast Boy's arm to observe it. It was trembling in his hand, and the changeling seemed remiss to talk about it.

"It's like, my body is trying to shift without me wanting to," he responded. "And it doesn't…feel pleasant."

"And you think it's something other than the werewolf thing," the tin-man surmised, his mechanical eye doing a quick scan. "You weren't exposed to anything?

"Nothing that I'm aware of," Beast Boy affirmed. "But I want to be sure, just so Robin doesn't have another excuse to be a dick. And I'd rather you keep this from the others until it's confirmed. I don't want them worrying."

Cyborg placed a hand on the changeling's shoulder. "I get it. You don't want to worry everyone if there's nothing to worry about."

"Yeah. I'd rather do most of the worrying," he replied with weak humor.

'Maybe Raven's right,' Cyborg thought. 'Maybe he has matured.' He could remember a time when Beast Boy would have made the largest deal out of being hurt or sick, making sure that he was the center of attention when it came down to business. Now, he was worried about what would happen if he was sick again, and not in the 'caught a cold, be off work for a couple days' kind of sick.

"Alright," Cyborg said, his confidence sealed. Mechanical needles snaked out of his arm, newly sterilized, and ready for use again. "Now hold up your arm."

The blood was a vibrant red as Cyborg extracted enough to make multiple tests versus other blood samples and transfusions he had gathered over the past few years. He had readings from Beast Boy's pre- and post- mutant werewolf times, but he'd long since run out of genetic samples. The best he had at the moment was of the transfusions he had gathered in case of an emergency and use his previous data to find abnormalities among the current data and the collected samples.

Cyborg set the analysis program to idle; allowing it scan so it wouldn't interfere with their date with whatever had tripped the alarm. He didn't want it interfering with his combat systems, just in case. He could always speed up the analysis later.

"There," he beamed, "now I've set it on slow cook for the fight, but I'll speed it up when the action dies down. There's nothing to worry about B."

The changeling smiled, but it seemed half-hearted. "Thanks bro. Now let's catch up with Robin before he notices we've been slacking."

Cy stared off at his friend. 'He really has matured.' He shook his head absently. 'Mind in the game Cy, mind in the game.'

 ** _(Scene Break)_**

Raven sat in the lotus position on the Med-Bay bed, her puke bowl off to the side as a just-in-case. It was quiet without the others around, and normally, she wouldn't mind. But a lot of things were playing out in her head.

Beast Boy had held her hair as she showed such an unpleasant side of herself to everyone, and he hadn't made a joke the whole time; he'd wanted to, but he didn't. He'd held her so gently; she had almost imagined that she was in bed.

She shook those thoughts away. He was the kindest person she knew, and it was best not to read too much into it. They were friends, and if she could help it, it would stay that way. It was better not to jeopardize that friendship. And besides, there were more pressing issues to worry about.

 _Azarath. Metrion. Zinthos_ , she chanted mentally, allowing the mantra to transport her where she needed to go. At least some of her power worked.

The alternate dimension that was her mind was so dark, the black sky only lit up with red stars. And the road was little more than rocky crag, dropping off into oblivion and winding into multiple paths. Up ahead she saw an arch made from the rock, its top normally littered with four-eyed ravens with glowing red visions, these days they were the mental embodiment of her barriers against intruders as well as against her emotions escaping. Except…there were no ravens.

The birds she had built up in the mindscape were gone, all of them. Not a single one remained.

"Hello?" she called, her voice echoing across the void. Hearing nothing, she pressed onward through the arch. Instantly she was transported to her new destination.

The view was incredible, at least she thought so. Rolling hills, grassy knolls, and trees caught up in a forever-autumn, their leaves turning color but not falling, and the air a perfectly balanced temperature that was neither hot nor cold.

"Hey Rae-Rae!"

'Ugh!' she groaned mentally. "Happy, I see you're here."

Normally, she'd just address the emoticlone with a mixture of knowing and distance, but since Cyborg and Beast Boy's visit a few years ago, her emoticlones had insisted to be called by their most notable attributes.

"Of course I'm here, silly," the pink clad Raven chided with a beaming smile. "Did you see it? Beastie was so nice." She swooned, falling backwards, floating before she could hit the ground. She giggled loudly. "He was so nice, and that makes us so…so…HAPPY!" She continued giggling.

"We don't have power, and your worried about Beast Boy being nice?" she huffed, though she supposed since Happy was expressing it, she must be feeling it somewhere deep in the recesses of her psyche…if only a little bit. "He's always nice."

"But he held our hair for us," Happy sighed lightly. She turned over, still levitating as she propped her elbow on air as she laid a closed fist over her cheek. "A guy that will do that while you're retching your guts out in front of him is a keeper. Why can't we find a guy like that? Someone who doesn't mind pale skin, discolored hair, and keeps her emotions all bottled up all the time."

Raven face-palmed. It was bad enough knowing that her emoticlones reflected her truest thoughts and feelings, and she had come to accept that over the past two years, but when they talked like that…. She could deny it all she liked, but a guy who had all that sounded pretty appealing…but Beast Boy was a friend. A good one. He was kind, selfless, and persistent. He didn't let her wallow in isolation but respected her space enough to give her bits of solitude. Plus, now that he was grown, he wasn't terrible looking either, especially now that his other fang had grown in and didn't make his smiles all lopsided. A guy like that was one-in-a-million, super powers or not. Maybe in a billion. The odds were not in her favour, but where was she going to find someone like that?

"No," Happy drawled in disbelief, staring wide-eyed at her.

"What?" she replied stoically, not liking the face the giddy emotion was making.

"Shhh," the pink clad Raven shushed with a wink, "it's a secret."

"But you're one of my emotions," Raven stated, "you can't hide anything from me."

"Just 'cause we reside in the deepest corners of our beautiful mind doesn't mean we don't keep secrets from ourselves," she stated with a sly wink. "It's called 'denial'."

"Are you sure you're not Passion? Maybe Brave?"

"Nope!" she replied in her obnoxiously high voice. "I'm Happy. Happy all the time!"

'Ugh!' Raven groaned inwardly. Even she found this side of her annoying. "Never mind. Where are the others?"

As if on que, a plethora of emotions began popping out of the ground through multi-colored shadow portals. She recognized Passion (Purple), Knowledge (Yellow), Rude (Orange), Brave (Leaf-Green), Timid (Gray), and the new bloods Hope (Blue) and Envy (Lime-Green). Even Rage was there, having made her peace with the red clad emotion a little over a year ago, at least enough to give her some free reign as long as she didn't cause any trouble; like a parole of sorts.

But there were a couple she didn't recognize, completely new as far as emoticlones went.

"Who are they?" she asked, knowing that her typical emoticlones were only aware of what she was aware of.

"Do you think they're nice?" Hope asked with a slight glimmer to her eye.

"Who cares? It's already crowded in here," Rude stated, her eyes half-open and her glance bored as she stuck her pinky absently in her ear.

"They'll probably be better emotions than us," Envy mumbled, clearly disappointed by the additions. "Why couldn't I remain the new emotion?"

A silver clad Raven floated up to them, startling all of them. She looked…older than any of the present Raven's.

"Hello, nice to finally have a more physical aspect for a change," Silver stated kindly, quickly turning to Yellow. "Knowledge, what's up? You should get some sun, you're looking a little pale. Staying in your room all the time with your books isn't healthy.

"Brave, take it down a notch, don't do anything reckless. Passion, you too, a little chaste goes a long way." Both Raven's visibly calmed down, their cloaks enshrouding their bodies peacefully.

"Chin up Timid," she said, wrapping a gentle embrace around the Gray Raven. "Remember that fear makes us stronger, and that loneliness is okay, as long as you are willing to let someone fill that space with kindness. Stick close to Brave, okay."

"O-okay," the Gray Raven said with a gentle blush.

Silver Raven turned to Rage. "Hello sweetie."

"I'm not sweet, and I have a bone to pick!" she fumed, her four eyes glowering angrily. "When I get my hands on that little birdy, I'm gonna choke it till it squeals like a gutted pig. Almost three frickin' years and I find out about this now. How dare he talk to Beast Boy like that. When I'm through with him, I–"

Silver pulled Rage in close, gently caressing the back of her head. Blatantly surprised, Raven watched as Rage visibly calmed, her eyes closing in an almost relaxed posture. She could barely contain Rage before Trigon's defeat, but now she was calming at the behest of a single one of her aspects. At her side, Hope beamed brightly, Envy continued being envious, and even Rude seemed to have been stunned into silence.

"Easy Rage, dear. Beating Robin into pulp won't solve anything, no matter how much we feel like it will," she soothed. "It will only serve to distance you from your friends. Save your anger for the villains. If they hurt our friends, make them pay, but restrain yourself. There is no need to be feared when you can just as easily be respected for the strength you bring."

She gently let the emoticlone go, smiling so genuinely, Raven couldn't help but think of Beast Boy's toothy grin when he got her to do what he wanted. As if responding to her thoughts, the silver clad Raven walked over to her. She was a good two inches taller than Raven herself, and had an almost commanding aura about her. She looked like Raven might if Raven ever had a perfectly happy ending, ten-years in the future, her violet hair flowing almost freely to her waist. The other thing that was utterly noticeable was her body. She had some luscious curves that even Raven found herself jealous of, as if maturity had been very…very, kind to her.

"What's up?" Envy barely greeted before getting swept up in a hug from Silver.

"You came!" Hope beamed, running over to hug the new emoticlone like it was her long lost…mother.

"Of course she has better curves," Envy muttered pressed between the two Raven's, before frowning in thought. "When we mature, will I have curves that bodacious?"

The pit of Raven's stomach did somersaults, and she couldn't help feeling a little envious, much to Envy's note. None of her emotions greeted her like that, even though they certainly held a certain respect for her that came from being the original Raven. And the thought of a mother figure among her emotions left an empty hollow inside her chest that tightened painfully.

Even Rude stepped forward, gently hugging her. "It's…uhhh…good to see you."

'Rude, being polite,' Raven pondered in utter confusion. She couldn't fathom what part of her could have such a profound effect on her emotions. _All_ her emotions.

After a moment or two, the emoticlones detached, allowing her to step forward in front of the origin Raven. "Hello, Raven. Honestly, I never thought I'd get to experience the wonders of the mindscape, but…here I am."

"Uh, who are you?" Raven asked, unsure if she should even know this part of her. Even if her other emotions knew her.

"Oh, forgive me. I'm Temperance."

"Like the Virtue?" Raven asked, one eye cocking upward.

"Yes, very much alike," she responded with a bright smile. "Call me Temperance, Prudence, Moderation, Wisdom; whatever you like. I'm the: self-restraint, insight, and foresight part of you. I keep the tabs to your self-control and your–"

Raven couldn't help it as she flung herself forward, bringing resting her head gently on the taller Raven's shoulder. She let loose, her inner tears falling before she had the will to stop them. Gently, Silver wrapped her arms around her, holding her closer as she cried.

"There, there dear. Tears cleanse the soul as well as the body. And you're a decade overdue for a good cry," she said kindly, closing her eyes and resting her cheek on the original's head.

Raven looked up at the new emoticlone with a tear stained face. "Where were you? I've needed you for so long, and now…." She couldn't stop the tears from falling again as her voice broke. "…now my powers aren't working when my friends need my help, and there's something out there that's hurting…it's hurting so badly and I can't do anything about it."

Something tugged down at her cloak, and she separated from Temperance, glancing down at the source of the interruption. With a started gasp, she realized it was a child, wrapped in a putrid yellow cloak much too big for her small body.

"What are you doing here? Are you okay?" she asked, kneeling down and attempting to remove the hood.

The child backed away quickly, dodging about the emoticlones until she tripped over the length of her own cloak. Raven walked smoothly over, her tears nearly dried as she scooped up the child. Without warning, the hood fell, revealing why the child kept her hood up.

It was a five-year old Raven, with four eyes stared back at Raven, four _amethyst_ eyes. They were sad, squinted shut as if she could hide simply by keeping her eyes closed. She shook in Raven's arms as though she might hurt her, sniffling as tears welled up.

She glanced down, taking more of the new emoticlone in, stopping in horror.

The child had no mouth. Not that it was shut tightly, but that there wasn't a mouth to begin with, as if flesh had grown over the normally occupied space. All over her exposed arms and legs, faint silvery scars made themselves pronounced, some looking to be years faded, others still red and swollen. But there were so many, and the child winced as if she were in pain.

She turned to Temperance, her eyes pleading. "This is me? This is an aspect of me?"

The silver Raven padded forward gently releasing the emoticlone from Raven's grasp, and pulled her close, as one might hold a child to their shoulder. "I had hoped this one would not manifest, but it would seem she has," the emotion sighed sadly.

"Who-? What- is she?" Raven asked, unsure of how to feel about this aspect of herself. Just looking at the child made her feel…hollow, like she was dying inside, and didn't know why.

A small, kind smile entered Temperance's face. "This is Suffering," she said, gently rocking the child-Raven, saying soothing words under her breath.

"But her eyes…her mouth…those scars," Raven stumbled, unsure of where to begin.

"Hey," Rage sulked, her arms crossed angrily. "It stood to reason I wasn't the only four-eyes here.

"And I'm not talking about you Knowledge," she retorted as the yellow Raven pushed her glasses up in a huff.

Raven didn't pay her more familiar emotions any mind as she looked at her new manifestations with something between awe and horror. This couldn't be real. This couldn't be happening. New manifestations only showed up as she gained more power…like Hope and Envy had, but never all at once. Here she was seeing _two_ new aspects of herself that were…so different from her emotional norm.

"She _suffers in silence_ ," Temperance replied, a sad smile forming softly. "She embodies all of our hurt and suffering. She is judged because of the way she looks, both physically, and because she is half-demon; she takes the slurs and the curses and the abuse of others and holds them close. And she would hold the world on her little shoulders if it meant anyone could hear her screaming. It's the part of us that holds back our hurt and pain."

"Why?" she asked in little more than a whisper.

"Our powers aren't failing Raven," Temperance stated ignoring the question, gently rocking Suffering. "After that overwhelming pain you felt, we're without barriers. Meditating will bring it back under focus. I was the only one supposed to come, to help maintain emotional balance, but…

"…Suffering manifested with me because of all that pain you felt – no, experienced," she corrected. "Whatever felt that pain was suffering tremendously; and given how quickly we lost our barriers, it's no surprise that Suffering manifested."

"The emotions of another, if in vast quantities, can manifest one of my emotions," Raven inquired, though it was more of an observation at that point. 'Well that's just great', she thought.

"It could have been worse," Temperance reasoned. "If no barriers were present, then you might have leveled our home."

'And it took a while to build those barriers', Raven thought. 'Gone in an instant.' She was more powerful now, but still…she hoped she never had to feel that amount of pain again. Holding in her power once her barriers were down had been excruciating, until….

Hope glanced at her knowingly, and Raven turned away, a touch of pink to her cheeks. Immediately, she could feel the beaming smiles of Happy and Passion. She'd have to thank him later.

"Then we should probably fix our barriers," Raven muttered, unable to calm her thoughts as the rest of her emoticlones began to pick up what was running through Raven's head.

"That would be the best course of action," Temperance affirmed with a sly smile. "We shouldn't need much, but you can never be too careful."

"Alright then ladies," Raven commanded monotonically, shaking off her embarrassment. "Let's at least get this place up and running again. We can't leave our friends hanging."

She sat down in the lotus position, her emoticlones joining her in meditation, but their conjoined looks saying that a discussion was coming very soon. As one, they began to chant, focusing their power on the task at hand.

 _Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos._

 _Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos._

 _Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos._

Slowly, but surely, a four-eyed raven manifested into existence, cawing as it became complete.

'One down', Raven thought, doing her best not to worry about whatever trouble the other Titans might encounter.

 ** _(Scene Break)_**

"Boyfriend Robin, you will do the slowing down, please."

Starfire was currently flying after the Titan's leader, his R-cycle almost increasing in speed rather than slowing down.

"We don't have time Starfire," he retorted, his grip tightening on the handles of his vehicle. "Beast Boy and Cyborg are taking too long and Raven is out of commission. On top of that, we have no idea who we are up against. There's no telling how much damage has been done to the city."

The Tamaranian Princess turned sideways in air as she came up next to the R-cycle, folding her arms. "I am aware," she stated, her eyes glowing menacingly. "I am not the same _Bip'kinish_ that came to this planet four of this system's solar cycles ago."

Robin felt his ears heat underneath his helmet. She was right of course, she had grown a lot. She understood earth customs better and had even adopted their mannerisms better. Although, her newfound understanding didn't stop her from drinking, or drenching other foods, in her favorite yellow condiment: mustard.

"Now, Richard John Grayson," she growled aloud, "you shall either slow down your vehicle or I shall commence with the treatment of silence."

His ears perked, and he shivered at hearing his full-name aloud. After telling her his secret identity, a feat he hadn't even shared among his other comrades, she'd only ever use it in private, and only when she was trying to get his absolute and complete attention.

Reluctantly, he began to slow down, allowing her to take a seat on the R-cycle behind him. To both of their credit, the new adjustment in weight was met with expert handling, and the R-cycle continued to remain upright as they continued to cross over the single lane bridge that lead from the Tower's solitary island to the mainland.

"Soooo," he drew out, unsure of where to proceed as she held him tightly, pulling herself into his body, "what did you want to talk about?"

"I wish to discuss your harsh words directed at friend Beast Boy," she said plainly, her voice steady, yet edged with emotion. "I told friend Raven and Cyborg that I would do so."

She was quiet as she waited for his reply, their ride continuing through the city, rushing past car and civilian alike. No doubt they were gawking and pointing at the couple, wondering where they were heading.

"What about it?"

"You were too harsh with him," she stated plainly. "I know you do not like his actions toward the Control Freak, but must I remind you that you were willing to do bad things to protect us?"

How could he forget? The one-eyed criminal mastermind, Slade, had blackmailed him to become his apprentice by keeping the lives of his friends in the balance, with only the press of a button between them and death. He'd stolen, he'd hurt his friends…he had become a criminal; all for the sake of keeping them safe.

"Is it because he came to save Raven's honor?" she asked, gently opening her eyes as she held him," and not you?"

Robin frowned, keeping his eyes directed on traffic as he continued to maneuver in and out of it expertly. "That's not it Starfire," he said, searching for the words without becoming distracted by the situation at hand. "Raven is like the sister I never had, and I respect that friendship I have with her, and the boundaries she's willing to leave up for our safety. When she feels it's safe to open up, she will.

"And I'm not mad at Beast Boy for protecting Raven," he continued, his eyes narrowing underneath the tint of his helmet's visor, glancing up at the heavily clouded sky. "I'm mad at him…for being mature."

Starfire started at this. "That is what friend Raven said, that Beast Boy was doing the maturing. But what is wrong with this?"

He nodded. "I'm frustrated with him Star," he confessed, his voice gripped with worry. "He was amazing. He not only kept the remaining Titan's together, he led them. _Beast Boy_ led them. And while he wasn't able to take down the Brotherhood of Evil, he was still able to infiltrate their operations and hold them off until you guys showed up.

"But as soon as all was said and done, he just…." He didn't know how to put it.

"He was our Beast Boy again," she answered with a small smile, leaning with the bike as they turned down another busy street.

He nodded. "It was like the Beast Boy that I could admire, the Beast Boy I could be proud of, the Beast Boy I could look up to a little; he was never there. And then with Control Freak, I saw that again. And I'm angry at him for it." His grip on the handles tightened once more.

"And the threatening him?" she inquired, her grip tightening a little as the R-cycled dodged between cars. "We had no choice but to tell friend Raven when she asked Robin, and she was…displeased by the answer."

"That explains the four eyes and the tentacles," he jested, but the humor was lost almost instantly. Corny and ill-timed jokes were more…Beast Boy's style.

"I meant it Starfire," he clarified unashamed. "My feelings about Beast Boy's maturity aside, he couldn't control himself. And while I want to have faith in Cyborg's antidote, him even threatening to unnecessarily harming Control Freak was too much like the time with Adonis."

"Friend Raven would argue," Starfire pressed. "She said that she threatened this entire world, and yet we supported her still and protected her, and did our best to save her, even after there was nothing left."

He didn't have an answer for that; at least, not a good, plausible one. Had he meant it? Was it just his way of coercing the changeling he'd always thought of as powerful, but far too immature? Like threatening a child? When he thought about it, he really did act like Slade sometimes, and just the thought repulsed him, but admitting his flaw would allow him to grow away from it. Wouldn't it?

Before he could get a solid grit to his teeth at his realization, an explosion sent rubble flying. Car alarms blared to life, some falling short as they were crushed by the debris.

Robin checked his coordinates; just to be sure this wasn't a second attack. To his relief, this was the only alert active at the time. He slide the cycle to a stop, glancing at the dust and smoke cloud that had arisen as Starfire gently released him, flying in the air for a better view.

"It is always thee explosion that points one to the villains, yes?" she remarked, her eyes and fists glowing a corona of bright green.

A large red van flew from the smoke, striking the Tamaranian with surprise as she threw a starbolt to intercept it. They collided, an explosion sounding mid-air.

Robin dodged as a large chunk of what had been the van now lay smouldering where he had sat just moments before, his ride now in ruins. He looked up to make sure Starfire was fine. Seeing she was, and that she was looking at him apologetically, he readied himself. Unsure of what enemy they faced, he didn't draw his weapons just yet.

"I am sorry," she called out, drawing a little closer to ensure he was truly alright.

"It's fine," Robin reassured, his attention steadfast. "But you can make it up to me later."

He was sure he misheard, but all he caught was as if barely above a whisper. "Indeed, I shall."

He couldn't help but grin as it finally processed properly in his mind.

Two more cars were thrown, each targeting the individual Titans. Starfire shot skyward, and Robin sidestepped. Fortunately, this section of the city had been evacuated, as both cars landed in a _Crunch!_ and a burst of steady flame, the smell of burning gasoline and rubber scalding their sinuses.

A pumped blue suit appeared from the smoke, its characteristics like that of a supped-up car. Its wearer only smiled narcissistically at the Titans, his gaze already revelling in his own victory.

"Speak of the devil," Robin muttered, his bo staff extending.

* * *

 **A/N:** Chapter 4 is out baby! Ah! I had so much fun working on this. The complexity of emotions setting up the next chapter... Whoo!

Also on this note, I realized that my Tamaranian words were not translated (as Tamaranian seems to be a "make it up as you go along" language). If you guys would like me to go back and post my Tamaranian translations, let me know. Or maybe I made it obvious enough what was being communicated? Either way.

Also, if there is anything you guys would like me to respond or comment on (I am a new fanfic writer after all) let me know. I've been trying to observe how other fan-fiction writers do their Authors Notes, and stuff; but I feel as though something is missing from my Author's Rants. I'm open to suggestions at this point.

Again, if there is anything that needs edited, or is connecting in a weird way for you guys, let me know and I'll try to clean up the text. I do accept grammar and spelling errors too (PM these if possible, and I'll add them to my next Hard Edit)

As always (and I'll just keep posting this because its true), keep posting your constructive criticisms, as they will help me know what to look for in my future writings, and for the days I decide to do a hard edit. I look forward to growing as a writer for you guys.

 _Tamaranian Translations (Original Translations)_ :

 _Bip'kinish_ \- "One who is ignorant, or foolish, like a child; a foolish adult."

(Review Response disclaimer: I ramble sometimes. That's just me being excited. If I don't ramble, I'm still excited, just calm. Also, I have a "different" sense of humor. I swear it's not you, it's completely and utterly me.)

And now for the new Reviews Responses:

\- Junior VB: No. No it is not. & SPOILERS! (I apologize, I don't actually know any Spanish, and I feel a Google Translate would be insulting, but that's just me)

\- Guest Person: *sniffle* Quit playin' me man *sniff*. I appreciate your diligence to my development :D

*End of Review Response

Chapter 5 will have it's moments, but it's gonna get serious really quick here, so prep yourselves. Gaah! I'm so excited!

* * *

Translation Update 4-29-2018

Final Edit 10-14-2018


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter 5:

* * *

 **A/N:** Just short of a month since I began writing this. Not sure how I made it this far... Okay, I do know. It was lots of love and support from you guys that pushed me this far. And hopefully, it will push me further.

We're at fifteen Reviews, eleven Favorites, twenty-four Followers, and at seventeen-hundred views on the dot. For those who Follow, I keep writing for you; for those who Favorite, you lift my spirits; for those who Review, you keep me biting my nails. (P.S. I use this particular note as a kind of mile stone for myself). Thank you for your continued support.

Don't forget to post any QCC so I can post responses (I hope they're as fun for you guys as they are for me)

I went back and translated all of my originally translated Tamaranian I used (it will be found at the end of each chapter). No one made any particular note about whether or not to incorporate it, so I went ahead and took the liberty. I ask about things like this, because I anticipate a response, so please take the time to help me improve if possible.

I'll be doing another Hard Edit here soon for Chapters 3-5 if I have time this next week, so if you guys notice anything that needs corrected (grammar, spelling, etcetera) let me know via PM. P.S. Some stuff is intentional, but if you think it needs corrected, tell me anyway. I would rather be safe than sorry.

Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans franchise. If I had a dollar for the number of times I'm gonna have to post this, I could probably buy it

Without further adieu. *Que the dimming of the lights*

* * *

Falling Apart:

Chapter 5-

"Only two? I suppose that'll be enough," chuckled the blue suited villain, picking up a car with one hand before chucking it lazily at Starfire.

She flew under it, her glowing green eyes revealing a spark of anger.

"Where's the green wimp and that gothic cutie?" he asked, glancing around as though he expected them to pop out at any moment. "Come on. Throw me a bone. Ya can't expect me to wait forever on my rival and future babe."

"Adonis," Robin growled, glaring birdarangs at the reappearing villain. "It's been what, two years. Expected you to crawl out of the gutter sooner."

"What were you expecting?" Adonis demanded, pulling up another car. "I'm bigger, I'm badder, and I'm better than I was before. I've had two years to work this out and a _lot_ of training to go with it."

Robin had to roll behind a stationary vehicle to avoid Adonis' throw, quickly popping out the other side with three discs nestled between his fingers. He threw them, each winding a different trajectory, but all ultimately with one target. They latched onto Adonis', immediately sending sparks of electricity into him through his mechanized suit.

Robin smiled as he watched Adonis crumple to one knee, the shocks slowly taking down his opponent.

Adonis was grimacing, trying to hold himself up. He appeared to be experiencing a mild amount of pain, looking upward from his shock ridden body.

Starfire was closing in, one fist holding a steadily trained starbolt on Adonis, waiting for him to make a move. "You will not be victorious today," she stated confidently. "You will surrender peacefully?"

His features flipped, his grimace turning into a smile, and his form blurred until it faded.

Both Titan's swung around, unsure of where he would pop up next. A surprise to be sure, but they didn't want it to happen again.

"Victorious, huh?" Adonis was suddenly in mid-air, behind Starfire, striking down on her before she could turn to defend herself, and fading away just as quickly.

"Starfire!" Robin yelled, springing off a car to catch his falling girlfriend, securing her close to his chest before landing. He miss-stepped, slipping off of the hood of another vehicle before falling painfully on the ground, still clutching Starfire to his chest.

"Are you hurt?" she moaned, gently sitting up. She grabbed her head and twisted it on its side, a sickening _Pop!_ resounding before she righted herself.

"I'm fine," he assured with a wheeze, "but your sitting on my–"

"Oh," she winced, getting up off of his chest. "I am not the heavy?"

"No," he answered too quickly, "I just landed wrong." He was immediately met by a large mechanical grasp lifting him up and throwing him into a nearby building. His body creaked as it hit. Had his life been an anime, this would have been the moment he coughed up blood, but instead, he opted to just fall to the ground as gravity would dictate.

"Robi–" Adonis quickly backhanded Starfire into the building across the street, sending her through the brick walls with ease.

"Oops," he chuckled, walking over to Robin. "It looks like I misjudged my strength on your girlfriend. Thought she would be tougher. You know… for an alien." He picked Robin up, causing the boy wonder to wince. "Oh my. Does that hurt?" He quickly threw him down to the ground.

Robin was quick to assess the predicament his body was in as he crashed for a second time. 'Broken ribs, multiple micro-fractures all across, and untold bruising,' he strained to formulate, thankful that none of his vitals were harmed. But his most pressing concern was Starfire.

A large armored foot took its careful aim, squaring itself right between his eyes. "Nighty-night Robin. And remember it was Adonis that finally brought down the Titans leader."

A blue beam shot at his grounded foot, throwing the armored villain back as he lost balance.

"Hey! You keep your damned hands off my friends!" the blue streaked Titan called from the sky, carried by some long dead prehistoric creature as it shrieked in agreement.

Cyborg flipped over, his feet meeting Beast Boy's as the changeling shifted into a kangaroo mid-flight, both kicking off simultaneously at maximum force, sending Cyborg launching toward Adonis with gravity and then some on his side.

"Ain't no one stomping Robin except me on Game Station!" was his war cry as his fist cocked back, his glowing red eye calculating and initiating the maximum force of the swing as a compartment opened up in his arm, activating its rocket thrusters for some added–

" _Oomph!_ " was the sound that escaped Adonis' mouth as the tin-man came crashing down.

The ground seemed to tremble a little as the villain moaned, but Cyborg had to smile as his rockets retracted. "Boo-yah."

Beast Boy walked out of the building across the street, Starfire's arm draped over his shoulder. "Dude, sweet landing," he complimented, making sure he had her secure before morphing into an abominable snowman, gently carrying the Tamaranian in his arms.

"B, we seriously need to have a talk about that," Cyborg stated, pointing a mechanical finger at Beast Boy's current shape. "I've been holding this back for years but: Does that mean Sasquatch is real?"

The larger form of Beast Boy cocked an eye, unable to speak, but slowly processing as he walked over. Shifting back into human, he glanced up at the still taller Cyborg. "Of course he's real. Hasn't anyone else seen him?"

"Do you mean the delightful fuzzy creature on the television that is never demonstrated on the camera of video?" Starfire questioned weakly, glancing half-eyed at her friend.

"I'm not talking about those the shows on Animal Planet," Beast Boy corrected with some disgust. "Sasquatch don't hoot or holler or yowl or whatever it was those televised clowns call it. Sasquatch are like elk: their large, but surprisingly you never hear them coming until they decide to make noise. They either roar or make an oscillating whistle sound that's really cool."

Even Robin, lying in pain, had to look at the green shapeshifter, as he and Cyborg shared a look.

"Don't be playin' with me B," Cyborg stated, his mouth drawn out in seriousness.

An uppercut connected with the tin-man's chin, throwing him a painful distance away as he landed on a car.

Beast Boy didn't hesitate, jumping back with Starfire in arms as he met eyes with his nemesis.

"Nice to see you alive and kicking," Adonis smirked, "especially after that little skirmish with the Brotherhood of Evil."

"Last I checked, you went running and screaming as soon as shit went south," Beast Boy taunted back, setting Starfire back on her feet. "We all know how this goes Adonis. You show up, making a mess of our city, then me or Cyborg rips off your suit, and it ends with you in jail.

"Why not give up now and save yourself the hassle. Or better yet, just get a job and stop making your life that much harder."

Adonis laughed aloud for a moment before he immediately switched to a frown. "I've done some remodeling. I don't think you'll win…."

"Star," Beast Boy whispered nonchalantly, watching her ear perk in attention, thankfully keeping her iridescent green eyes riveted on the villain at hand. "We need a fight. As soon as it starts, I'll draw him away while you guard Robin. I'm not sure how hurt he is, but don't try moving him until Cy takes a look." Beast Boy only gently met their leader's eyes, before giving him a hidden signal, prompting a silent nod from the wounded boy wonder.

'You have to love a villain's monologue,' Beast Boy thought with a mixture of amusement and boredom.

"…I'm faster, I'm stronger, and I've even upgraded some…special features," Adonis stated, his suit's hands clenching and unclenching.

"Oh, and how's Raven doing?" he added as an afterthought. "We haven't had time to catch up since that rather chance meeting at that animal testing facility. It's a shame really; I think I was beginning to like that feisty spirit of hers. Does she still put up a struggle?"

Beast Boy couldn't help the snarl that edged his lips. He held his anger in check, feeling as if his left arm were about to move on its own accord. He held in his shifting, feeling it pushing and digging and clawing its way through him as it shrieked to come out. He felt that inner animal prowling in the corner of his mind and body. All he had to do was break its chains, and it would make short work of Adonis.

" _Aaaragh!_ " he growled as he lashed out, quickly shifting forms into a roaring tiger. His claws hit air as Adonis seemed to blur and vanished.

Starfire took that as the signal and quickly moved toward Robin, kneeling down next to him with a one hand grasping his and the other producing a starbolt…just in case.

"Starfire," Robin groaned weakly.

"Hush now, my _Gen'da'hen_ ," she commanded sternly, not meeting his eyes as she patrolled the ruined streets. "Do the shutting up and the keeping still. You are injured, and I do not wish to see you aggravate your wounds."

"As you wish," he replied with a smile, squeezing her hand a little tighter, to which she reciprocated.

"Where is that lil' shit at?" Cyborg demanded, his sonic cannon drawn and ready, and bits and pieces of a car's tail light falling off his chrome body.

"Friend," Starfire called, "you must call the 'Slip'. Boyfriend Robin is injured. If you will do the trading of places, I will assist friend Beast Boy."

As if on que, a green triceratops flew past, crashing into several rows of cars. Adonis appeared over it, his fists a flurry of blows as he continued to pound the changeling.

"Alright," Cyborg agreed, his cannon returning to his arm as his eye glowed a brighter red, emitting its silent signal, "helps on the way. Now get in there and help B."

Giving one more reassuring squeeze of his hand, Starfire detached, flying forward as her eyes become enveloped in her own righteous fury as she landed a solid hit with one of her starbolts, sending the villain reeling, but only for a moment.

"Easy there, Robin," Cyborg said, both of his eyes taking in the apparent damage. "You look like you got hit by a truck."

The boy wonder tried to chuckle but stopped as the pain hit him. "I feel like it. But Starfire got thrown through a building. Is she okay?"

"You know your girl is tough," Cyborg stated confidently, glancing up. It looked like the two fighting Titan's were having a harder time than one might think. Adonis really had upgraded. He was stronger, most definitely faster, and a hell of a lot more methodical in his attacks. He had probably changed more than their entire team combined had in two years.

"Hey Cyborg," Robin said through clenched teeth, obtaining the older Titan's attention. "I…I owe you an apology."

"What for man?"

"For when I was too stubborn and angry to care," he responded. "And…th– thank you for taking care of the others when I was like that. Especially–"

"Especially Beast Boy," he interrupted. Robin nodded. "It's not me you need to apologize to, man. It's B. He was the one that was hurt.

"And while your feeling apologetic, you might want to make sure you and Raven are cool too. She didn't look too happy last she saw you. And we all know she isn't one you should maintain a grudge with for long."

A roar interrupted their moment as a green lion was thrown into a building, glass shattering as it impacted.

Beast Boy returned to his human form, clutching the signature Warner Brothers bump on his head as he took observation of the situation. Starfire was throwing her starbolts wherever Adonis "appeared" only for him to vanish again. He didn't know what was making the villain disappear so quickly; whether it was cloaking, or teleportation, or just incredible speed.

He felt his left arm seize up again, clutching it tightly as he felt his skin literally crawl. He bit back a scream, falling to his knees as whatever had afflicted his left arm now burned its way upward, infecting his chest and neck in rapid succession. He felt it slither up his face until it grabbed around his left eye, wrapping around it as if it had been the target of its advancement.

It shot open outside his will and desires, thousands of multi-visual screens sending signals to his brain. He knew this 'sight', as if he were seeing through the eyes of a Fruit Fly. In his right eye, the world appeared to progress normally; but in his left eyes, the visual processors of his brain saw the world slow down until it crawled. In his right eye, he saw only what he looked at; but in his left eyes, he saw multiple facets of the same image, and all those images watched as even the super-suit clad villain began to move in short bursts of what appeared to be running, followed by long periods of standing still.

'He's using super speed', Beast Boy thought in his accelerate processing. But it did no good. He couldn't keep up with that level of speed, and judging from Adonis' movements, the prey in him knew he wouldn't be toying around for long.

'Since when am I the _prey_ ,' he reprimanded himself angrily. ' _I'm_ the predator!"

He closed his eyes, free from distraction as his processing didn't go toward his eyes, but simple thought. Hundreds of thousands of species all swam before Beast Boy's darkened gaze as he pulled from the categories he had set them up with that made for easy access into a form.

'Speed', he thought, instinctually opening one category of his entire genetic lineup. Already, more than ninety-eight percent of his forms were gone. The cheetah was an obvious choice, but still not fast enough, as was the peregrine falcon, and the spine-tailed swift. They were fast, but not fast enough to beat the clock on the new version of Adonis. Another idea hit him, and he grasped at it.

'Speed by Proportion', he projected. The first one that appeared was the one. Nothing was faster for its size, and now Adonis would regret resurfacing, belittling him _again_.

Opening his 'fly eyes' anew, Beast Boy knew he couldn't hold so many forms in his human skin. He could either sacrifice his ability to see or gain the speed he needed. It was an advantage even having this set of eyes, but now he needed more.

As if in response, the crawling feeling that now enveloped the majority of the left side of his body worked its way down, crawling until it captured not only the whole of his left leg, but his right leg as well. It was painful. Beast Boy wanted to scream in agony as it coursed through him, consuming him from the inside out.

But he felt it. He felt the additional genetic template integrate into his body as that portion of the _Paratarsotomus macropalpis_ ' DNA became his own. His body still writhed, and he felt sweat forming on his brow as it ended.

Then he focused on his attack. He needed something that could penetrate Adonis armor, even when he moved at such a high frequency rate. It didn't take much thought as he forced his left arm to cross-shift into the proper animal.

He moved forward with a roar, soon overtaking and even outrunning the sound. His human form reeling at the feeling of moving near Mach Two as his legs took him three-hundred and twenty-two times his body proportion in a second, but seeing it as though the world had crawled to a halt. He ran out of the side of the building, aiming straight for Adonis as the villain was about to stop again, this time with the intent to do some damage. Starfire was hovering in air, her eyes staring angrily wherever Adonis had been taunting last, both her fists radiating minute and slow moving particles of green energy that enveloped her hands.

Off to the side, he saw as a 'Slip' was near its launch course, Cyborg glancing at it from the corner of his robotic eye, while Robin still laid down, clearly in some amount of pain.

'It's my fault,' he thought glumly, taking in the wounded Robin. 'If I hadn't have stopped Cy, we could have showed up together, and Robin wouldn't need to be in the Med Bay too.'

Beast Boy's frustrations were quickly buried as he stopped just in front of the mid-leaping Adonis, measuring the height and allowing himself to slow down as he jumped to match the villains gained height. He allowed his perception of time to slow down with his body, watching slowly as Adonis was registering his presence, and his face contorted in surprise and recognition.

He wasn't given time as the changeling reared back his left hand, his body adjusting mid-air in preparation for the strike as he glanced once more at the villain, a grin that shouted 'End Game' alighting on his face.

Whether he said it, or thought it, it didn't matter. It wasn't so much a taunt as a statement, even in the confines of acceleration.

"This is a Mantis Shrimp asshole." Not much for a war-cry, but he figured it couldn't have been any worse than Cyborg's. And with that, he threw his fist.

The strike that lashed out superseded Mach Two, the speed of his strike not only breaking the sound barrier, but creating an atmospheric cavitation from his arm's chosen form that pulled the villain into it. He felt the satisfying crunch of his nemesis taking the hit at full force. He watched as the suit sparked and fizzled, some of its systems clearly damaged from his attack.

To his bewilderment, he watched as the suit began to crumble away, and a small yellow shell began growing from his point of impact. Even in slow-motion, Beast Boy could see the pained, though smug, smile slowly spreading across Adonis features.

And time returned to normal, the villain flying through several rows of cars before his momentum was halted, his suit almost fully crumbled away, and a yellow version of it slowly retaking its prior features. The villain bent forward, pulling himself out of a car with a huge groan of effort.

Starfire turned to the source of the sound-break noise just as the 'Slip' landed, Cyborg quickly pulling out the equipment he needed to safely transport Robin. To her surprise, Beast Boy stood between her and a newly yellow-adorned Adonis.

"Friend Beast Boy," Starfire cried joyfully, "you have done the knocking off of the socks, yes?"

He turned to smile at her.

 _Bum-bum!_

He clutched his chest as pain seared through him anew. Instead of just his arm, his entire left side was screaming as it began to ripple, strange combinations bubbling to the surface in an aberrant fashion.

Starfire watched in horror as Beast Boy collapsed from no apparent wound, screaming in pain. What terrorized her more was that some strange mass was churning and growing violently out of Beast Boy, taking shape into varies appendages and parts that she had seen him transform into. She didn't know what to do.

"The help please!" she cried, floating down next to the half of Beast Boy she remembered fondly. She put a hand to his cheek, instantly retreating. His skin was burning too hot for a human, she almost wondered how he endured such scalding temperatures within his own body.

Cyborg and Robin glanced their way, instantly balking. Cyborg cursed under his breath, as his hands began to work faster, strapping Robin carefully into a safety transport that would take him back to the Tower until he had the time to examine him better. To his relief, Robin was in no danger. But Beast Boy on the other hand….

"What's going on? What's happening to Beast Boy?" Robin demanded, doing his best to glance analyse Beast Boy's condition, hissing as he strained too hard.

Cyborg ignored him, a silent command to his systems to accelerate scanning Beast Boy's recently acquired DNA, trading his least needed battle functions for the increased analysis.

"Shuddup Bird Boy," Cyborg commanded, his teasing name for the boy wonder now a call to attention, "and hold still. BB is in some deep shit, and if I have to give ya a swift jab to the ribs to get you to hold still, then I'll do it."

Starfire watched as Beast Boy continued to writhe and cry out, unable to help him. Her eyes glowed ever angrier as she turned to the yellow Adonis, the villain watching with a mixture of disgust and humor. She flew over before he could disappear, lifting him by the abnormally bulky neck with her alien strength, pulling him higher into the air.

"What have you done to our friend?" she demanded, her other hand conjuring a starbolt that only seemed to add to her menacing glower. She took aim at him, ready to give him more than just the average thrashing.

"I didn't do anything," Adonis strained, his own hands trying to pry off Starfire's one. "If I knew what was affecting him, I'd have used that shit a long time ago."

Disgusted with him and disliking his answer, she pounded downward with her irradiant hand, watching with a less than satisfied scowl as he crashed into the concrete street below.

Cyborg finally got the last of the precautionary straps and devices in place. "Okay, this will take you straight to the Tower. You'll end up in Med Bay Three, and we'll get a better analysis later. I don't want to walk in and find you at the computer doing research, otherwise I will ground you faster than Johnny Rancid did."

He looked at the team's leader with his patented half-man, half-robot glare that dared him to argue.

"Cyborg, I know the drill," Robin stated with a frown. "I listed the regulations for the 'Slip', and I practically wrote the Tower's rulebook. I'll see ya soon." Before the tin-man could depart, a firm hand grasped his forearm. "And take care of them. I don't want anyone joining me in the Med Bay."

"I'll see what I can do," Cyborg said with his best fake smile. 'Like hell you'll be the only one.'

Without a word, Cyborg initiated the commands, Robin immediately encased inside the strange device as it quickly launched into the air, above the city's buildings, and immediately began flying back to the tower.

'Three down,' Cyborg grimaced, running over to Beast Boy. He checked his arm console for an update on Beast Boy's DNA. It wasn't even a quarter complete with it's scan.

"Friend Cyborg." He looked up at the distressed Tamaranian. "He is doing the kind-of changing, and his head is hotter than a _Gripsnik'l Torch Buglor_. Please, I do not know what to do."

Cyborg jogged up to Beast Boy, avoiding his writhing and boiling left side all together.

"Hey B, tell me what's goin–" Cyborg retreated a little bit. He didn't known what a Gripsnik'l Torch Buglor was, but he had an idea as soon as he took half a look at Beast Boy. The air around the changeling looked to be a steaming mirage. "Oh hell B, we got to get you back to the Tower."

He watched as Beast Boy attempted to open his eyes, glancing past the tin-man. Cyborg almost threw up. While Beast Boy's right eye remained the same forest green he was used to seeing after whooping his butt at a game of Mega Monkeys: the Prequel Xtreme; his left eye seemed to have a thousand small pustules of black liquid, crawling like a thousand maggots in it and over it, boiling like Raven's kettle pot.

"A-a-adon-is," Beast Boy grumbled, even his attempts at speech appearing to cause him pain.

'Adonis?' Cyborg turned just in time to see a yellow streak land another solid punch to his chin, sending him sliding across the concrete painfully.

"Road Rash!" Adonis taunted to Cyborg.

The Tamaranian Princess had to give the villain some credit. After taking such a devastating hit from both Beast Boy and herself, she concluded that his persistence was something of admirable, since his choice of actions and occupation were not. But she looked at Beast Boy, and a now rising Cyborg and she was the…peeved.

"You will leave them alone," she hissed, drawing both her hands together, building up her next action. She clasped her hands together, reabsorbing the particle energy before it was expelled from her. The exposed parts of her flesh began to emit light, gently at first before a field of green energy wrapped itself snuggly around her, as the warrior armor of her home-world would have. "If I can not do the hitting, then I shall do the taking of punches."

"Then I won't aim for you," the villain stated, watching her eyes widen in realization.

The villain had his target. He didn't mind giving the Titan's a good beating, but he had a personal score to settle. His debut as a villain had been interrupted by the punk with the green skin, and seeing him so helpless and hurting right now was…priceless. He was practically served up to him on a silver platter, even if he had taken off his first layer of armor. Revenge was the sweetest.

 ** _(scene break)_**

'Please, stop,' he cried inwardly, unable to grab hold of any other coherent thoughts. 'I can't help them if I'm like this.'

 _It's Your Fault. Useless. Pathetic. Boring. Stupid._

The words echoed in his head, drawing him further into his own misery. He tried. He tried so hard. He wanted to help, he wanted to be stronger, but….

 _It's my fault their dead_ , he thought. _If I had been stronger, faster, smarter…if I hadn't been me._

He felt his body as it cried out, reeling as though he were crumbling from within. It hurt, it hurt so much.

 _And now I'll lose them again, because I'm weak._

Through tear stained eyes, he could see the yellow form of Adonis, taking his sweet time. He closed his eyes again, trying to shake away the feelings he had.

In his mind's eye, he saw them, his family in the Tower. He held his little world in his hands, and they were everything it needed. He was content with this world. He was fine if things didn't change, as long has he could hold them near, as long as they didn't leave him.

Until they were ripped away.

They never left. No one ever left. That wasn't what terrified him in his waking moments, and haunted him in his sleep. No one left. They were always taken from him. Everyone he cared about, everyone he loved. Taken before he could save them.

 _Mom. Dad. Terra._

It's why he had left the Doom Patrol. Not Mento's training, not the groups general withdrawn nature, but the philosophy that they held dear: "Every mission could be our last." He couldn't. He couldn't stand that. He couldn't care so much about them and watch as one by one, the people that made his world were taken from him.

And now, the people he was with. The misfits that had dared to hope, dared to be something better than they were. His friends…his family. Slowly, they were falling away. Raven was already in the Med Bay, Robin was on his way, and he could hear the sounds of his friends taking hits…just to protect him.

They always protected him.

 _Weak. Useless. Pathetic. Failure. Immature._

The pain was too great. It hurt so much, and if it was his weakness that brought down the people he cared about, it would be better if he couldn't bring them down, if he didn't hold the people he cared about in his hands. But he could only live if he held on to someone; he needed people. If he let go, they'd live, but he'd die inside, until…he didn't exist. If he didn't hold them back, then they couldn't get hurt trying to cover for his weakness, or his mistakes. It _would_ be better if he let go.

 _Bum…bum!_

His heart beating slowed, the thrum echoing in his chest as he felt the pain subside to a dull ache. He felt gravity take him, but didn't feel its effects, even after falling flat on the concrete. He felt himself unravelling, as if his body had finally had enough. Whatever bound him together, whatever kept his out-of-whack genetics in place; it was done. He was done.

He slowly felt his consciousness slip, and he didn't try holding on. There was too much pain, and he caused too much pain. It would be better to just leave it be. Slowly, he sank down into the inky blackness, revelling in the peace it brought him.

 _Someone better can help them_ , he thought, and it gave him comfort as he retreated into whatever the darkness would bring him.

 _BEAST BOY!_

He frowned as his eyes closed. He knew that voice, but he didn't. It wasn't the same the thousand other times he heard it. It was desperate, insistent…hurting. He felt so much pain in that voice. But he could relieve it if he just let go-

 _Don't you dare! Don't you dare leave!_

He opened his eyes, looking up at the inky black sky. It had no stars, but the solitude was beautiful in its own way.

A large set of black talons pierced down through the ink sky, only distinguishable by their white outline as it reached closer and closer toward him. He just watched, unmoving, unblinking as the claws wrapped around him, holding him in a tight, yet shaky grasp.

 _GARFIELD! Don't you dare leave me alone!_

His eyes shot open, his body surging upward as the claws attempted to pull him up through the sky.

 _Failure. Worthless. Stupid._

 _FREAK!_ The claws stopped as some invisible weight slowly dragged him back downward, ripping him between his own thoughts and the thoughts of another. It was torment in the half-state he bordered. Live, or die.

'Just let me go,' he thought hazily, clenching his eyes as tears formed. 'I don't want you falling with me.'

 _Use it!_ the voice demanded, a faint light reaching down through the rend the claws had made in the sky. _Use my Hope! Don't you dare start being selfish now!_

He reached upward, allowing the claws to pull him upward. The light from the rend felt so warm and comforting. So gentle. He even felt a smile crawl to his face as the light expanded into his whole vision.

* * *

 **A/N:** Chapter 5, GO! And with that, the games continue. Any ideas what's affecting him, yet?

Serious question in need of a response: "Do I post replies to Reviews as they come in? Or do I post them to the chapter the Review was made for?" This is confusing me. I see people posting to previous chapters after new chapters are already out, and it just occurred to me that maybe they should be on the chapter they are assigned to. Please help!

Also, if there is anything you guys would like me to respond or comment on (I am a new fanfic writer after all) let me know. I've been trying to observe how other fan-fiction writers do their Authors Notes, and stuff; but I feel as though something is missing from my Author's Rants. I'm open to suggestions at this point.

Forever again, if there is anything that needs edited, or is connecting in a weird way for you guys, let me know and I'll try to clean up the text. I do accept grammar and spelling errors too (PM these if possible, and I'll add them to my next Hard Edit)

As always (and I'll just keep posting this because its true), keep posting your constructive criticisms, as they will help me know what to look for in my future writings, and for the days I decide to do a hard edit. I look forward to growing as a writer for you guys.

 _Tamaranian Translations (Original Translation)_ **:**

 _Gen'da'hen_ \- quiet literally: "one whose heart is shared"; lover; beloved; true love; soul-mate; used on Tamaran between two couples in a very deep, emotionally bonding and emotinally intimate relationship.

 _Gripsnik'l Torch Buglor_ \- a creature native to Tamaran's "harsher" biomes. Think a firefly and a praying mantis had a baby, throw in some alien strangeness and a Fog Crawler (Fallout 4), and shake well with some volcanic heat and a bad attitude. Sounds lovely, doesn't it.

(Review Response disclaimer: I ramble sometimes. That's just me being excited. If I don't ramble, I'm still excited, just calm. Also, I have a "different" sense of humor. I swear it's not you, it's completely and utterly me.)

And now for the new _Reviews Responses_ :

\- ChrisCage75: I think this is a comment...I'm pretty sure this is a comment... Yes, I figured BB would have to trust someone, and who better than the only Titan qualified to ease your worries with a simple DNA scan...who also happens to be your surrogate big brother.

\- Junior VB: Comments indeed.

\- TheBigK1: Sweet deal! Let me know whatcha think!

\- Guest: I will do my best Sir *salutes*...Lady? Ma'am? Mister? You "Guest" Reviewers are confusing. *shrug* I will live with it.

*End of Review Response

Chapter 6 _is_ going to have some questionable content (fair warnings to all you under-agers; I think it is still a T rating...maybe), but it will hopefully be exciting for you guys to read.

* * *

Final Edit 10-14-2018


	7. Chapter 6

Chapter 6:

* * *

 **A/N:** Gaaaahhh! Two days late! I'M SO SORRY!

Just a little over a month. Sure feels longer... not sure why. All this time and it hopefully just gets better and better

We're at seventeen Reviews, eighteen Favorites (Oooooh! Big jump!), thirty Followers, and over twenty-one hundred views. Another week in the story and I'm still as excited as when I started. (P.S. I use this particular note as a kind of mile stone for myself). Thank you for your continued support.

Don't forget to post any QCC so I can post responses (I hope they're as fun for you guys as they are for me)

Heads up! I'm moving this coming week, so the next chapter will probably be a little late :( Also experiencing a mild amount of writers block, so that might delay it too. Sorry to report the bad news.

I wasn't able to get to the Hard Edit this week for Chapters 3-5. I'm sorry! *weeping, bawling, crying-a-river emoji face* But with all the stuff going on this coming week (as per noted above), it will probably be delayed a little longer *Currently curling up in the corner, eating his favorite pistachio ice cream and watching depressing amounts of soap-operas and drama TV to sooth his troubled soul*

Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans franchise... You know what, screw it! FLASHPOINT!

Without further adieu. *Que the dimming of the lights*

* * *

Falling Apart:

Chapter 6-

 _Five Minutes Earlier…_

'Two-hundred seventy-three,' Raven thought as another raven manifested, cawing as it took to the air.

"Really, who's counting?" Rude commented, her eyes only opening half a degree. "Let's just get this done already."

"No," Brave interjected. "We need more. Another attack like that and we might get our ass's handed to us. And I'd rather do the ass-whooping."

"Ditto," Rage called, her four eyes narrowed in concentration.

"I d-d-don't think it m-meant to c-cause us p-p," Timid tried and failed to formulate, tears welling up in her eyes.

"Pain," Knowledge finished, readjusting to make the lotus stance a little more comfortable. "I agree. Such an attack was powerful but didn't cause continual damage. An enemy would have taken the time to overwhelm us in a weakened state."

"Of course, you're always right?" Envy growled with an eye roll, folding her arms in frustration.

"Well, it doesn't matter," Happy sighed dreamily, rocking back and forth from her lotus position. "Even if it happens again, Beast Boy will just come and hold our hair again if we throw up." Her laughter insinuated that this would be the ideal circumstance.

Hope smiled, but kept her thoughts to herself, keeping her focus to the best of her ability.

Passion giggled, rolling her neck. "I'd like that. Maybe he could massage our shoulders while he's at it."

"Enough," Temperance said, her kindness almost as forceful as the single word she spoke. "Control your thoughts and cease with idle fantasies. Although I am glad to see that we are a little more cooperative."

Suffering sat on the older Raven's lap, wrapped up in her oversized cloak as she whimpered silently.

Raven glanced out at her emotions, glad they had come to some semblance of working together. A few more ravens, and she'd call it for the day. She could do more, but a smidge of wisdom wormed its way into her mind.

'Rome wasn't built in a day,' she humored. There would be more ravens tomorrow, and the next day. The chances of feeling that level of pain again were extremely low as far as she could discern and rushing the job wouldn't cut it. Wasting power to create a half-functioning barrier would only serve to endanger her and her friends.

"Alright, I think that will d–"

Something was wrong. She knew it before she'd even glanced up. She watched as the younger emoticlone Raven jumped up suddenly from Temperance's lap, running to the portal that led to her darker space. Before anyone of her emotions could stop her, the little Raven held out her arms, as if to prevent anything from coming through the portal.

Raven got up to help but keeled over as it hit her. That pain. It hurt worse than ever before, like her body was trying to hold itself together, only to crumble again.

Her entire left side was hurting, but she couldn't coddle herself as she experienced it. The pain blew away so many of her emotions, watching as they were forced back into the furthest reaches of Raven's mind, until only a little girl stood between her and the portal.

She didn't have to hear her or see her face to know how badly she was hurting. Whatever the pain belonged to, Raven was certain she was feeling it just as strongly.

Taking a moment, Raven was glad to sense that none of her newly created barriers were failing, if anything Suffering was supporting them. She pulled forth her power, cutting through the pain that enveloped her body as she did her best to pinpoint the source. Such large and powerful emotions were easier to sense. She homed in on it, feeling it as deeply as she felt her own Suffering.

 _Azarath. Metrion. Zinthos._ She winced as she forcefully expelled herself from her mindscape, crashing painfully onto the floor of the Med Bay. Hissing an inhale, she pulled away at the wires and hook-ups, and finally grimacing as she slowly slid the IV needles out of her arm.

She groaned sickening at her arm, quickly remembering her mission at hand. She had but to focus a little as the inner part of her soul took form, the shadow aspect of a raven enveloping her as it melded through the floor. Following the pain wasn't hard; landing next to the source was. It was overpowering, disrupting any sense of emotion within its vicinity, causing a disturbance to Raven's homing.

She melded out of a street, the smell of burning gasoline and rubber instantly assaulting her. Cars were overturned, some on fire, and others rudely smashed to the side. She took a step forward, only to sway slightly as her head pulsed.

'I'll have to get used to that,' she winced, squinting to focus on keeping whatever was left inside her stomach down. She didn't have to as the pain assaulted her again, pulling her attention to it's source.

"Road Rash!" She knew that voice, and it sent an unpleasant shiver down her spine. _Adonis_.

She quickly moved around the cars, heading purposefully down a street as quickly as her legs could carry her, trying to preserve what mental energy she could maintain. There was no need to waste it on flying just yet, especially since she was so drained.

'I'm glad I stopped creating barriers when I did,' she thought, knowing that asking why she had created so many in one go wasn't going to change the fact that she had. The effort had been taxing, but worth it in her opinion. Enough to provide some support anyway.

"You will leave them alone." She'd recognize Starfire's voice anywhere. Turning the corner, she was just in time to see the Tamaranian's energy output disappear, appearing on her body as a form of emitted armor. "If I can not do the hitting, then I shall do the taking of the punches."

Raven knew the technique Star was using. It prevented her from using her starbolts, sacrificing her offense for defense, and it took a great deal of concentration. It wasn't a known ability on Tamaran, developed and honed specifically by the princess for their teams less-than-deadly combat.

She saw Adonis, instantly pushing down the feeling of dread that threatened to overwhelm her sense of reason. His yellow machined suit standing out in the carnage that seemed to be enveloped around them. Glancing back toward Starfire, she found Cyborg getting up off the pavement, his face twisting angrily.

"Then I won't aim for you," she heard the villain say. The sorcerer glanced between where his gaze lingered, and her pale features did little to hide the blood draining from her face.

Beast Boy lay on the ground, a green shifting mass writhing out of his left side. He appeared to be down and out of it. But what caught her breath in her throat was the feeling he gave off with such distinct clarity.

'It was you,' she thought, her eyes wide in horror. She saw it permeating off him like an infected wound, his entire being filled with pain. She sought deeper half-consciously, distinguishing his anguish. It wasn't just physical pain he was feeling, but emotional. And it only seemed to be growing, feeding off of itself in a cannibalistic fashion.

She'd worry about chiding him later for breaking down her barriers. Right now, she had to help him, ease his pain somehow.

"Like hell you're touching him," Cyborg shouted in answer to the villain's statement. "I don't care if you've made some upgrades. You're not touching him."

"Watch me," yellow Adonis dared. He was fast. Raven could only see a blur as he charged Cyborg, stopping just long enough to hit him with a barrage of punches, sending him to the ground.

Starfire immediately took the opportunity to land a blow between the villain's shoulders, only to watch as his yellow armor quickly repaired itself.

Raven moved forward quickly, having to climb over more than a few stacked sets of cars to prevent from walking through burning debris.

Starfire crossed her arms as she absorbed a powerful kick from Adonis, her feet grounding into the pavement as she slid back. Growling, she recoiled, pushing forward as she struck at a blur that only a moment later appeared behind her. Another kick sent her sprawling forward, Cyborg quickly halting her advancement forward as both of his eyes narrowed in on Adonis.

The villain proceeded to ignore them, as if his point had been made, and he approached the changeling; smug, full of himself, confident in a guaranteed victory. "Now it's time for payback, loser."

Raven couldn't hurry fast enough, watching with a face devoid of apathy or stoicism. She wasn't calm, she couldn't be calm, her formless emotions a torrent inside of her. 'Please let me get there. Please let me get there,' she thought, repeatedly.

"What's the matter? Are you crying?" Adonis taunted the changeling, who didn't respond as he approached closer and closer yet.

Raven felt her heart move in sympathy. Beast Boy never cried, not really. He could pull all the crocodile tears he liked, but he never cried. And Raven could feel it, could feel the tears running down her friend's face, as if she was truly seeing him for the first time. His pain, it was so transparent, and so...immense. His tears only seemed to augment this truth.

She stopped as her head wrapped around the change in Beast Boy's emotional status. He was still in pain; that much hit her like a ton of bricks. But even the difference between his physical and emotional pain didn't explain it. It was like his entire emotion spectrum was pulling into itself, compacting deeper and tighter like a turbulent black hole until only one thing escaped.

'Self-loathing,' she stared in fascinated terror. She'd never seen so much gathered within a single being. Having glanced at layer upon layer of the shapeshifters masks, he now stood a distance away, his inner most being exposed to her in a most horrid fashion.

She'd felt such emotions before, generally from Robin in his failures to capture Slade. Sometimes from Cyborg when his humanity was called into question. But never…. Never, had she felt it as thick as she did staring at Beast Boy. It was almost…self-destructive.

Her eyes widened as she cast up her hand, her mantra blasting through her mind with such speed and force, she felt the cars around her fade to oblivion. A large clawed hand shot from her grasp, traveling at speeds she'd never dreamed of seeing as it ploughed into the yellow suited villain, sending him sprawling into cars opposite.

She'd didn't dare turn away from the enemy as her friends glanced at her in surprise. Explanations could wait until later. She only wanted to get to Beast Boy. She had to.

Lampposts warped as she walked past, the concrete around her crackling as her control simultaneously collapsed and elated before her. She wasn't stopping. Another chant, and dark matter spears formed around her, all taking aim at Adonis. Without but a nod, they fired, stripping into his armor faster than it could reform. Before the volley ended, she reeled, immediately encompassing in her soul self as it merged to its truest form.

Four white eyes glowed to life, the silhouette of a raven enshrouding her in liquid darkness that pulled away at the light. Her beak let loose a cry of outrage as her wings flew open in dominant display. With one flap, she took to the air, less flying than jumping as she immediately landed on Adonis with a _Crunch!_ embedding him further into the car he had landed on.

The raven pecked, it jumped, it clawed. And once she had become steady in the air again, a multi-voiced whisper of her mantra emerged from the opened craw, her clawed legs turning into a swarming mass of black serration as they beat down on Adonis; ripping, tearing, rending, until the yellow of his suit lay in ruins.

She landed with a thud on the car he occupied, cocking her raptor head sideways and down as she glared on him with four beady eyes.

As if possessed by the multitude of her emotions, they spoke in unison. " _If you know what is good for you, sit there and behave like a good little villain 'till the cops arrive_."

The groan escaping his mouth was satisfactory enough for her as the shadow faded back in on itself, Raven emerging from the darkness.

"Um…nice job?" Cyborg offered, but Raven was already moving to Beast Boy as fast as she could carry herself.

She had no choice now. She had wasted too much time. She ignored the changelings grotesque form and grabbed his head in her hands, cursing how hot his skin was. She focused, allowing her emotions a moment of calm before she placed her forehead on his, exposing her chakra stone to his bare skin.

Her third-eye chakra burst open as a rush of his pain, his misery, his self-hate shot through her head like a knife. Doing her best to ignore it, she pressed deeper, gritting her teeth as the weight of his emotions seemed to be dragging him down, destroying him.

' _BEAST BOY!_ ' she shouted at him mentally with all her might, calling through the deepest recesses of his mind. She felt a desperation she hadn't felt before. She had to save him. She…couldn't lose him.

She felt him stir, but he didn't seem to notice much, instead sinking deeper into himself. Already she could feel his heart beat was so slow. And it was only getting slower. Anymore and he would….

' _Don't you dare!_ ' she shouted, pressing deeper into his emotions, scrapping through them like they were dirt. ' _Don't you dare leave!_ '

She felt him, felt his gaze looking for her, and she reached out, willing him to come back to her. She could feel her relief at finding him, at how shaky her power over him was, and yet she held him all the tighter.

' _GARFIELD!_ ' she cried, not knowing how often she'd get to call him by name, by his real name. It was so painful to say, but it had to be said. She could only surmise how impacting his fading from the Titans would be. If he wasn't around, she knew what she would do. She'd retreat; she'd never step out of her room again if she could help it. No one would bother her. No one would think much of it, assuming she'd process his absence in her own time. And she wouldn't feel as wanted as she did, when he pulled her from isolation, when he saved her miniscule by miniscule from herself.

Even if it was just in their minds, she shouted with all her heart down at the sinking changeling. ' _Don't you dare leave me alone!_ '

She felt him give way, and she pulled desperately trying to reel him out of his dangerous spiral.

All at once he stopped; his self-blame, his self-loathing, his self-hate, all crashing down on him in an incredible weight, pulling him slowly away from her. She could feel it hurting him, being pulled by his own grievances and by her; one to kill, one to save.

'Just let me go,' she heard him think, his voice emerging as though he were speaking from a dream. 'I don't want you falling with me.'

But she couldn't let him go. She'd bare the brunt of it if only he wouldn't let go. She'd do whatever she could to keep him, even if it meant laughing at one of his corny jokes. He'd already been so selfless for her sake, and even then, even in his self-hate, he didn't want her to pull her down.

She felt an emotion stir at the back of her mind. She grabbed onto it, letting it envelop her in its warm embrace. She let it leak out into Beast Boy, a feeling like electricity coursing through her chakra as she shared it with him. She wasn't about to let that selfless idiot change.

' _Use it!_ ' she demanded, turning up the output as she felt was necessary, the leak becoming a wave. ' _Use my Hope! Don't you dare start being selfish now!_ '

She felt as once again, he was pulling upward out of the depths of his darkest recesses. And very slowly, he was returning to her. The Beast Boy she knew. Her Beast Boy.

A groan of pain allowed her to open her eyes, showing her what she wanted to see. Before her eyes and beneath her fingers, she felt him shifting, his skin cooling significantly. She watched as the mass of his body pulled in, revealing an arm and a leg that had been hidden. It wasn't until his face finally realigned, until two forest green irises starred intently back at her, that she felt he was safe.

She removed her forehead from his, pulling her arms down and around his chest, and lying her chin gently on his shoulder in exhaustion. She held him, relief flooding her as she did her best not to cry from joy. She had an image to uphold after all.

"You okay, Rae?" he asked, his concern so tangible, it was as if he hadn't been hurting at all.

She felt his arms wrap hesitantly around her before they seemed to say 'screw it', pulling her in for deep, but gentle, hug.

"You idiot," she whispered shakily, just loud enough for him to hear. "No one is allowed to 'hate' you but me. Not even _you_ get that privilege, so don't you ever do that again."

His shoulders seemed to relax a little, but she could still feel him covering up all his pain and self-loathing, trying to hide behind his well crafted masks once more.

"No guarantees," he muttered back, suddenly self-conscious as he gently pulled her away.

"Oh, friends, is this not glorious!"

They turned to watch Starfire appraising them with her hands clasped in delight and her eyes wide. Meanwhile, Cyborg just looked like both his eyes were malfunctioning.

"Must be something wrong with my sensors," he stated in denial, "but I could have sworn Raven just gave you a hug B."

"Um, I think she did," Beast Boy said, still processing it himself. "It was…nice." He turned back to the sorceress, looking her up and down carefully. "Are you sure you're okay? You seem kind of out of it."

She allowed her cloak to wrap her up a little but did her best not to shrink away as she stood back up. "I'm fine. I just…used too much power. And flooding you with one of my emotions was taxing. But nothing a little meditation and rest can't fix." She gave him a look that said they would be talking soon, and that when she asked questions, she expected them answered.

"Oh, that's good," he answered, scratching the back of his head nervously. "So where is Adonis? Did you guys kick his butt?"

As if that had been his queue, the villain re-emerged, the car he had been lying in groaning just as he ripped it apart. The colour of his suit had changed once more, returning to its classic hot-rod red.

"Man, how many suits does that guy have?" Cyborg demanded, his arm cannon drawn within a beat.

Starfire's armor blazed anew as she refocused, gently floating off of the ground as her eyes began to glow once more.

"I don't know," Beast Boy answered, crouching lower as he anticipated what forms he was going to take. His left side still throbbed, but not so much that he couldn't function, and he wasn't about to sit out again. Not when he could try to help.

"I need a moment," Raven whispered to the changeling. "I overspent myself. If I try using any power now…." She left the rest unsaid.

Beast Boy nodded his understanding as the Empath retreated slightly, the low muttering of her mantra the only response. He could see the places where her power had been let out. A pile of dust, warped street lamps, cracked concrete; they all smelled of her power.

He frowned in realization. He could smell her power. He could smell her in those things. He'd grant that he had sharper senses than most people, but now it was as if his nose were functioning on a whole new level. It was subtle, but he could smell lavenders and lilacs, and dusty ol' books. Lemon, chamomile, ginger, spearmint, and even something as subtle as honey. They all wrapped around the inside of his sinuses like a comforting blanket, all the destroyed objects reminding him of Raven.

"Heads up B!" Cyborg shouted, priming his mechanical eye with a little extra juice to keep up with the otherwise new speed Adonis had attained.

Adonis smirked, drawing back into a sprinter's start, his suit revving angrily like a muscle car. He dashed forward, jumping and lifting his knee up to square Cyborg in the gut. To the Titan's credit, he caught the knee with one hand, his sonic cannon immediately prepped in the other as he aimed for where it counts.

"Let's see how manly you are after this," Cyborg growled.

As the blue beam shot, time froze as if for a second, Adonis's body twisting suddenly in an acrobatic display of flexibility, landing just off to the side.

His face flushed in panic as he glanced down, gently patting his groin. Relief flooded his features as he observed no damage. He took a sideways glance at Cyborg, a cold frown setting into his face.

"That was a low blow," he growled, his leg coming up in a side-kick that sent the tin-man flying once again.

A green goat hit home with a bleat before Adonis's leg could return, a wheeze of pain escaping the villain as he steadied himself. He continued to stand, but his knees were knocking awkwardly.

"I could make a joke," the changeling said as he returned to human form, moving swiftly to avoid Adonis's vengeful, but slow reach. "But then I'd just be 'goat'ing you."

Audible groans were exchanged from everyone as they did their best to ignore the Green One's terrible pun.

The Tamaranian came down, delivering a falling kick, just as Robin had taught her, his shoulder catching the brunt of the blow as he was smashed into the concrete.

"You will do the going down please," she asked fiercely.

He reached up, grabbing her by the leg and swinging her into a charging green hippopotamus like an alien slugger. He dropped his hold as she flipped upward, her boot catching his chin.

The villain sailed back, landing with a grunt. His suit immediately began repairing itself from the recently acquired damage. He wasn't liking his odds anymore, now that he was down two suits.

He saw his advantage and moved, his speed flashing him forward. Before anyone could react, his hands had wrapped around a focused Raven, holding her out between him and the other Titans like a shield.

"Raven!" Starfire cried.

Raven grimaced as she was pulled from her upright meditative state, unaware of her surroundings. Finding herself in the arms of Adonis, she began kicking and struggling.

"Azara-" Adonis free hand clamped around her mouth, cutting off her mantra far too premature.

"Man, when I get ahold of you, I'm gonna open up a huge can of ass whoop," Cyborg growled, both of his hands fading into sonic cannons, taking aim. As if to back up his words, his shoulders and shins opened up, miniature rockets emerged; his red eye beamed an infrared tactical light at Raven, waiting until she was out of the way before commencing.

"Let her go!" Beast Boy demanded, his teeth gritting nervously. He could feel the leash on his primal side tighten, pulling at its chains. He'd only have to let it out.

Adonis smiled. "Why don't you make me," he dared, just as Raven reeled back, head-butting his nose.

The Titans smirked a little as the villain cursed, blood now gushing from his nose. He wiggled it a little, but otherwise didn't remove his hands.

Their looks changed as soon as Adonis smiled, blood and all.

"That's more like it," he said, his mouth drawing closer to Raven's face. "I like it when you fight feisty. It's starting to get my heart rate up a little." As if to demonstrate he gently bit her ear.

The group stepped forward as one, all ready to tear the villain limb from limb. Raven struggled harder.

"I wouldn't do that." Adonis's mouth remained uncomfortably close to Raven's face, only his eyes glaring sideways at the Titans. "I'd hate to accidently twist such a frail little neck. The damage might be permanent."

Beast Boy fumed angrily, his conscience shredded between action and Raven's relevant safety; between heroism and unleashing all primal hell. It wasn't fair. Adonis had caught hold of her just as she needed to regather her focus and collect her emotions. The changeling wasn't sure whether or not she could use her powers, or if she was attempting to prevent from vaporizing the entire surrounding area.

The thuum in his chest grew, escaping as a murderous growl that set the emerging hackles along his spine upright.

"Do you like this?" the villain taunted pointedly, licking his lips seductively as he wrapped a hand around her breast, and squeezed.

Raven winced at how hard he had grabbed her, holding in any and all sounds to prevent from further encouraging the villain.

Starfire yelled in frustration, wishing her hands were enclosed around Adonis's neck. "When I get my hands on you, I will shake you like a _Frebgek Uustalkorf_!"

Cyborg immediately began simulating through his hardware core, retrieving a code he'd prayed he'd never have to use. He hadn't used so much firepower since a demon-powered Slade's unruly assault on the Tower, and that was just the prototype. But all the same, he figured this was as good a time as any to use his upgraded version. Adonis had long since crossed the line; whether or not he walked out of it wasn't his concern any more.

As soon as he had it, it was typed into sequence and the 'Slip' prepped for launch. He just needed to activate the-

 _'Crack!'_ Everyone turned to the noise to see the changeling.

His pupils were no more than contracted specks in his eyes. His hands were clenched furiously, and his mouth bled from where his canines had broken from the intensity of his gritted teeth.

He didn't just look feral. With his crimson blood dripping down his chin, he looked...rabid.

" _AaaahGaaaahhRooooooow!_ "

The howl sent shivers down everyone spine as instinctual fear pulsed through them. Where Beast Boy had stood, a familiar creature emerged half-way between its morphed form and his previous form. Like a human had attained all the advantages of apex predators into a single lycanthropic form.

It convulsed, quickly fading back into Beast Boy as he glanced at his body in surprise.

"What the-" A look of horror crossed his face as he keeled over with an ear-shattering shriek. He landed on his knees, his gloved hands clutching his head, his eyes clenched all the tighter.

The scream merged, fading into something more, as if the very foundation of evolution were voicing through him, reciprocated by the grey sky's thunder.

Raven's eyes widened as an external wave of physical anguish smashed into her. But more importantly, was the scream.

She felt a surge of power from her demon-half, and from her human-half a sense of oppressive dread.

Only animals in distress made that cry.

And only when they were begging for death.

* * *

 **A/N:** And Chapter 6 is done. A little shorter, but hopefully I've sparked some curiosity. Not sure if this chapter warranted any warning, but it was better safe than sorry. I said it would be exciting...hopefully it was. A little BBRae, a few new abilities mentioned (but not elaborated *wink*), and a lovely cliff-hangar.

If there is anything you guys would like me to respond or comment on (new fanfic writer here *points to _this guy_ *) let me know. I've been trying to observe how other fan-fiction writers do their Authors Notes, and stuff; but I feel as though something is missing from my Author's Rants. I'm open to suggestions at this point.

Forever again, if there is anything that needs edited, or is connecting in a weird way for you guys, let me know and I'll try to clean up the text. I do accept grammar and spelling errors too (PM these if possible, and I'll add them to my next Hard Edit)

As always (and I'll just keep posting this because its true), keep posting your constructive criticisms, as they will help me know what to look for in my future writings, and for the days I decide to do a hard edit. I look forward to growing as a writer for you guys.

 _Tamaranian Translations (Original Translation)_ **:**

 _Frebgek Uustalkorf_ \- not quite sure what this meant. All I saw in my head was a chibi Starfire wrapping her hands around a chibi Adonis's neck, and angrily shaking him back and forth like a rag-doll. The words just sort of flowed off my tongue after that, and I figured it was a good verse of Tamaranian. Any ideas? I'm open for a translation.

(Review Response disclaimer: I ramble sometimes. That's just me being excited. If I don't ramble, I'm still excited, just calm. Also, I have a "different" sense of humor. I swear it's not you, it's completely and utterly me.)

And now for the new _Reviews Responses_ :

\- Junior VB: Yes indeed

\- FF8cerberus: First off, love the name! Secondly, I was not aware I used two new Emoticlones (YAY! for originality!), I just envisioned it, and it created an opportunity for further character interaction. Thirdly, I know: their relationship is leaving me in suspense! And I'm the writer! I don't know how I want to develop it yet...or if I want to. It's one of those minefields I've been trying to navigate carefully. Eh, Spoilers!

*End of Review Response

I'm so excited for Chapter 7! I've got the ground work laid out for some interesting stuff, hopefully, I don't disappoint. The secrets of Beast Boy's issues are slowly coming to light. (*evil villainous laugh*)

* * *

Final Edit 10-14-2018


	8. Chapter 7

Chapter 7:

* * *

 **A/N:** As I type these words, I'm probably sleep typing

Whoo! Almost seven weeks. Sorry for the delay, but moving has been a pain in the...well, you know. Still trying to move the largest of my stuff, but I figured while I waited I'd get this out to you guys.

We're at twenty Reviews, twenty-two Favorites, thirty-two Followers, and over twenty-eight hundred views. (P.S. I use this particular note as a kind of mile stone for myself). I'd dance, but I sold my soles. Thank you for your continued support.

Don't forget to post any QCC so I can post responses (Note to audience, the longer the QCC, the longer I'm compelled to make my response. Do with that what you will)

Hard Edit Chapters 3 is out. Will try to do the others, but I'm going to focus on writing for the most part. I don't want to divide my focus when I'd rather focus on writing for now (in hindsight, I should have taken this approach sooner). If I find something I'd like to change, I'll just change it.

Disclaimer: I came back from my Flashpoint Paradox. I owned Teen Titans, but I was a woman in that reality. One day I _will_ own it, but with my manly parts intact. I don't own the Teen Titans franchise _again_ , but next is time travel, now where do I find 1.21 jiggawatts.

Without further adieu. *Que the dimming of the lights*

* * *

Falling Apart:

Chapter 7-

Beast Boy couldn't inhale as the scream continued to expel, but neither could he stop. What ever had coursed through him finished its trek, now pushing through the right side of his body aggressively.

The remaining Titans, and villain, watched as his screaming fell short suddenly, the silence almost as deafening as the feral shriek had been.

He rose in a sloshed fashion, as a marionette is guided by a puppeteer. His knees seemed bolted together as he stood, his arms and head drooped completely downward, his hands grazing the ground.

A bubbling sound rose from his direction. His body quivered, the bubbling intensifying as the recurring mass that had once grown from his left side, now grew from his back rapidly in a tumorous fashion.

They stared in fascinated horror as the mass grew, crackling as white bone pierced through the flesh with a _ripping_ sound that sent blood splattering, quickly enveloped by the knitting of muscle. Skulls sprouted, sinew slinked, and the organ of skin over took the forms as if in a wave. Fur, feather, scale, or chitin covered the bulbous growth; slithering around until they found refuge on the appendages that had protruded from the mass.

Now staring back, a multitude of green beastial heads writhed on the gargantuan mass: tiger, hawk, sheep, wolf, serpent, spider, whale, fox, fish, tyrannosaurus, parasaur, etcetera infinai. Like the whole of the evolutionary chain rested on his back. Growls, hisses, shrieks, bleats, roars, and sounds yet indescribable resounded from every mouth as they came into full animation; the flesh around them still bubbling.

"And I thought looking like a goblin made him ugly," Adonis stated, interrupting their silence.

Hundreds of thousands of eyes shifted, the groan of turning necks audible as all gaze alighted on the red-suited villain.

As if in queue to this, Beast Boy's head raised, joining the multitude in their glare, his bloodied mouth slowly sprouting new canines as they regrew rapidly.

" _WE_ …" the animals chanted as one, most looking perplexed by this development, their bestial vocals unaccustomed to human speech. Each spoke in a tone befitting their species, a conjoined orchestra of discord within the voices of the animal kingdom.

'No, please Azar, no,' Raven thought, still entrapped in the villains grasp. That response...there was no way. She could think of only one embodied creature that spoke with so many voices. 'Not that.'

"... _NO...I_ ," the multitude corrected, Beast Boy's voice becoming the lead, merely emphasized by those on his back.

All primal eyes returned to Adonis, the villain clearly uncomfortable with such attentions as they gazed violently at him.

Raven felt relief flood her. He wasn't possessed. That was a positive. There was no telling what a possessed Beast Boy could do; and she chided herself mentally for even thinking he could be possessed. But she had seen his mind just moments before….

She shook herself out of such thoughts. She had given him Hope, now she needed to exercise faith in him. Now that she was in the scope of so many eyes, of Beast Boy's eyes, she felt slightly less worried by what events could transpire. There was violence in those eyes, but she felt, unexplainably... safe.

" _PUT...HER...DOWN_ ," the legion of beasts commanded, each word just as much an emphasis as a difficulty to speak. His voices were immediately punctualized by a wave of threatening sounds escaping their lungless throats.

Adonis complied, putting the Empath down with exaggerated care, before holding his hands up non-threateningly. He tried to smile, but it came out as pathetic.

" _NOW_ …," Beast Boy enmass paused, as if the distinction between the multitude were confusing. But their gazes didn't waver as all heads leaned forward with a groan. " _TOUCH...HER AGAIN...AND I'LL RIP YOUR FUCKING ARMS OFF!_ "

The entire animal kingdom roared their agreement with him.

Cyborg and Starfire didn't know what facts were worse coming out of their friend: that Beast Boy was threatening tremendous violence; that he had dropped an f-bomb like it was London 1940; that he had an enormous something or other occupying his back; or that his smile was...cruel, malicious, and hateful...just like his dark clone had as they attempted to distracted Trigon from Robin's rescue attempt of Raven three years ago.

Raven stepped forward hastily as the changeling prepared to charge, putting herself between Adonis and Beast Boy before he could step forward, one hand held out gently toward the shapeshifter. She needed to calm him. In this state, there was no telling who he'd attack. Even if he came to her defense again, she didn't want Cyborg or Starfire getting caught in his primal anger.

"Beast Boy," she said calmly. His elvish ears ticked as he stopped. A good sign. She gently took a step forward. "Hey, remember me?"

The dark smile on Beast Boy's face faltered as his human face looked blankly at her. " _RAVEN_ ," they groaned in recognition, a caw from a shifting green raven coming from the growth emphasizing his word.

"Yes," she replied, a smile touching her lips at hearing her name. She slowly began stepping forward, her hand continuously outreaching.

"Uh, Raven," Cyborg called, swallowing nervously. "Let's not aggravate him. I know it's been three years, but I still have memories of the parts I replaced because of him."

The creatures' sharp growls silenced his attempts at friendly interaction even as Raven redrew his attention back to her. "Star, be prepared to hit hard, and hit fast," the half-robot said in a low voice.

"I do not wish to do the hitting hard," she responded, her eyes still glaring at Adonis rather than Beast Boy. "If there is a creature to put the beating of down on, it is that _Grebslaok_ that professes to be the 'manly'.

"I pray no mercy from X'al on him," she hissed, some of her radiant power leaking out angrily.

"And we don't know if Beast Boy will hurt Raven or not," he rebuddled. "He's never done...that...before." His gesture at the pustule growth covered with the heads of animals, the sight making his case.

She shook her head gently. "I have the faith that friend Beast Boy will do no such harm to Raven."

As if to reaffirm her words, Raven's hand landed peacefully on the changeling's chest. His heart pound like the rapid beats of a drum-line. His skin felt burning hot as she guided her other hand to his cheek.

He and all his forms seemed to visibly calm at the contact, his eyes dilating a little wider as he began to return to his senses.

"So, you can control him?" Adonis asked, his face twisting in confusion, laxer than he had been with a legion glaring him down. "Than I'll just have to seize that control."

Adonis moved forward, his target: the sorceress. If he could regain his hold on her, he could keep the shapeshifter from attacking. In hindsight, he didn't know why he had let her go in the first place.

Before he could get close enough to brush the rim of her cloak, a leathery green fist smashed down in front of him, quickly retreating back into the mass.

" _YOU DO NOT TOUCH HER!_ " the creatures dischorused.

The heads gargled, imploding in on themselves as they formed into green matter that was sucked into the growth, until even that fell in on itself, retreating into Beast Boy's back.

A ' _Slurp!_ ' sounded as it finished, and the changeling morphed.

Unlike his usual transformations, he didn't just liquidize before assuming a new shape. It ripped out of him, his clothes stretching and tearing as if something larger trapped inside of his body was pushing it's way out of the confines of his skin. As if a beast were breaking out of his fleshy prison.

His tattered clothes now having disappeared, an armor-like skin pressed through his body, quickly over growing with dark green fur. His spine realigned, pushing him down on his hands as his front arms grew and his legs reduced, the form of a great ape baring down, even as it was complimented by a large hump of muscle growing into its shoulders. His mouth grew out, his lips forming a beak-like protrusion through his massive canines, and the center of his flared nostrils growing the sturdy keratin of a single pointed horn, a small secondary taking residence just behind the first. His fingers elongated, resting gently on their knuckles as strange pointed "toes" broke through his phalanges.

Cyborg knew a gorilla when he saw one, even if it was green and eight feet tall at the shoulder, like a baby Kong. But not like this, not with a horn, knuckle-toes, or flesh armor. Much less a beak-lip, a short and useless tail, and rounded ears that flicked in agitation.

"Is that a creature native of Earth?" Star asked curiously. Cyborg didn't have an answer.

The new creature roared, it's canines flashing a display of dominance as it stood on its smaller hindlegs, beating its chest angrily. It slammed down on all fours, one of it's massive forearms landing pointedly between the villain and the Empath.

"Beast Boy?" Raven whispered, starring at the back of the amalgamic creature before her, it's attention riveted on the villain.

The beast's rage primed, it charged. Adonis didn't have time to process the attack as the creature's head dipped, heaving upward, and the horn goring into his armor as he was sent skyward. The creature slid to a stop, quickly jumping from street to car to building wall, then leaping out over an airborne Adonis. Two massive forearms came down, sending the villain plummeting once more to the earth.

Adonis could feel his suit repairing as he groaned his pain but didn't have time to gather his thoughts as over half a ton of green fury crashed down on top of him.

The beast's current form cocked back it's massive forearm, and smashed, it's 'joint-toes' acting like knucklebusters as the fist thrashed Adonis's face. It lifted its fists, bring them both crashing down onto the suited villain in a series of angry grunts.

It grabbed Adonis by the leg, throwing him into a building before charging horn first into him, sending them both through the wall.

Raven watched in horrible realization as the primal feelings of the creature hit her, taking her aback for several moments. 'He's going to kill him.'

Another wall was destroyed as Adonis punched through, the panic written on his face as he made a break for it. His suit sizzled and popped as he attempted to run, his hopes quickly dashed as the creature burst out of the opening, it's hands and prehensile feet wrapping around him, knocking them both to the ground. Two massive hands wrapped around the villains head, taking a tight grip before bashing it back into the concrete. It lifted it back up and proceeded to bash again.

Raven found her body moving toward them, her emotions boiling once again as her voice broke out words that hadn't been filtered through her mind: "Stop him!"

Dark auras enveloped every lamppost she could manage to focus on. Her power responded only just, her mental energies still too drained. She was pushing herself, but she couldn't watch him like that. She couldn't stand there and watch as her friend became a murderer.

The dark-form lampposts let fly, wrapping like snakes around the enraged changeling. With a clenched fist, she pulled him back, separating him from Adonis. As he landed, the makeshift binds pierced into the concrete, holding Beast Boy down.

The creature roared, heaving and writhing as it attempted to break free. It grunted with each attempt, it's anger only becoming more apparent the longer his grasp was away from the villain.

"Star!" Cyborg called, spurred into action by Raven's distress. "Give 'im the Dome." His back opened up as strange pulsing cables shot out.

The Tamaranian flew over, catching the cables before pausing hesitantly. "Will that not harm friend Beast Boy?" she implored, glancing between the angry form of her shifted friend, and the villain who deserved the Dome for laying his filthy hands on her darker dressed friend.

"Last time we fought B like this, our butts were handed to us," Cyborg replied, a large rectangular box coming out with the last of the cables. "Adonis is down Star, but if we don't stop B, then who will?" He didn't want to use the Dome. It was originally designed for restraining more rambunctious villains, and now he was using it to restrain his less than cooperative friend.

His point became validated as the amalgam beast roared, his dark enveloped restraints beginning to fade.

"Hurry," Raven groaned, trying to maintain her grip as her focus began slipping. She was in too much emotional turmoil; she needed rest, she needed to meditate. She needed Beast Boy calm.

Her mind made up, Starfire flew the cables in a circle around Beast Boy as fast as she could, connecting the end-couplet back into the rectangular box. A small red dotted light glowed from the box for a few moments before turning green.

"It is done," she called back, setting the device down, backing away as Cyborg initiated the devices programming.

Large tendril arcs of electricity netted into an energized half-sphere, creating a cage of pure energy just as Raven's binds failed. The beast leapt upward, a jolt running through it as it plummeted back down. The sizzling scent of burnt hair could be smelled, a few noses wiggling in distaste.

Raven was quick to move toward the portable cage, staying a few feet back just in case. "Beast Boy," she said, stopping the creatures agitated pacing with her voice.

He responded by running toward her, smashing horn-first into the electric field with a sharp ' _Zap!_ ' that sent him staggering back. Carefully tucking his small tail, the creature sat on his haunches, giving off rapid panting grunts at his displeasure, beckoning to Raven.

She felt a great deal of inquiry and concern rolling off the creature, as if asking if she was alright. The anger was mostly subsided now that she was drawing his attention. It still amazed her that even after taking a good shocking from the Dome, his most pressing concern was her...even if he was in a strictly animalistic state.

"I'm fine," she lied to him, giving a meaningful glancing to Cyborg and Starfire as she sat cross-legged in the broken street. "Just need to meditate and rest. You were hard to hold back, Big Guy."

He snorted, his large fingers picking absently at the ground as his rounded ears turned a deeper shade of green.

Cyborg watched the transaction with some bewilderment, glancing between Raven and the changeling. It almost seemed embarrassed, as if she were either scolding or complimenting it.

"Is it not wonderful?" Starfire asked, floating just behind the tin-man. "Our friends are doing the bonding."

"I dunno," Cyborg stated with a shake of his head, glancing at the progress of Beast Boy's DNA scan. 'Thirty-two percent.'

His gaze lingering a little longer on the odd two, he walked toward Adonis, laying in a clearly uncomfortable position, with one leg bent limply under his body. His red suit was repairing itself, but it was futile at that point.

Two enormous gashes had slashed through the armor where Beast Boy's horn had pierced. The wounds were bleeding and deep, but they weren't fatal, and they hadn't punctured anything.

"I'd say you were lucky," Cyborg pointed out, earning him a groan from the downed villain. "Any longer, and B would have made you into mince-meat, and he hates meat."

He knelt down, his left eye doing a quick scan of Adonis's condition. 'Damn B.' While the gashes were terrible to look at, they weren't life threatening. But underneath, Adonis suffered multiple stress fractures, major bruising, minor nerve damage, several torn muscles, and a bloodied broken nose.

He smiled at Raven's handiwork on Adonis's nose, quickly turning serious again as he remembered why she had head-butted him. A part of him wished that they had let B finish the villain off, but...he had promised Robin, and he knew B would regret it whenever he finally returned to normal. They were heroes after all.

"He will live?" Starfire asked, clearly hoping the opposite.

"Most of the damage wasn't from BB," he replied, beginning to strip off the villain's armor, even as it attempted to slink back together. "I'd say this new suit is a double-edged sword, and he used it too much."

She seemed disappointed, and her arms crossed in mirror display of her feelings, glaring starbeams down on the villain. "I would sooner have seen him thrown to a _Queen_ _Ragnauqtorix_. He dared to touch friend Raven in a most distasteful way."

Cyborg agreed, being a little more forceful as he pulled off another piece of armor. The sound of Adonis groaning brought him only a fraction of satisfaction. "I think going in the ring with B was enough punishment for now."

He looked over at the green creature that he could identify as Beast Boy. But it wasn't him at the same time. He'd only seen that level of primal savagery once, and it had nearly taken down the whole team the last time. Now it was just sitting patiently, it's eyes holding intent focus on Raven as though she might disappear at any moment. Cy was just glad Raven was awake this time.

The amalgamation turned its head, starring back at Cyborg. It glanced him over, as if sizing him up but sputtered, earning him a frown from the tin-man. It glanced down, baring its canines angrily as it looked down at Adonis, but otherwise didn't make a sound as it returned to watching Raven. She was deep in meditation as she sat cross-legged on the ground, her manta soundlessly crossing her lips.

A quick chime grabbed his attention as he turned toward Starfire. She pulled out her communicator, opening the emblazoned 'T'.

"Hello? Starfire?"

The Tamaranian's face relaxed as she beheld her _Gen'da'hen_. "Yes, Robin" she replied with a small smile, covering her previous anger and disappointment with the joy she felt at seeing him well. "You are laying down, yes? If you are continuing the research when you are still so injured, I will personally-"

"Relax, Starfire," Robin said with a small dismissing wave through the screen. "I was just calling to make sure you guys were alright."

She glanced at Cyborg, unsure if any of this was the 'alright'. Cy just gave a small nod, stripping off more of the armor.

"We were victorious," she responded, but something in her voice was off enough that Robin noticed.

"What happened?" he demanded. "Is someone else hurt?"

"Hey, man," Cyborg interjected, gently pulling away Stars communicator, "I'll explain when we get back. There's too much to cover in a single call."

"Alright," he said, clearly expecting them to uphold those words. "What's your ETA?"

Cyborg glanced up as the grey sky rumbled, a small sprinkle of rain beginning to fall. "Give us half-an-hour."

"Alright, don't stay too long."

"We will make with the haste," Star replied, and with that, the call ended.

Cyborg finished stripping the armor, glancing at Adonis incredulously. "Well what do ya know. He really did train."

Underneath the armor, Adonis was...filled-out...in a sense. He was taller than he had been two years ago, his suit now more fitted. His body had some definition and appeared toned if nothing else. 'Things really do change in two years.'

He glanced at Adonis, glanced at a chunk of his suit, then glanced at Beast Boy's primal embodiment.

"I'll be takin' some of this," he stated, grabbing what appeared to be a chunk of the trashed chest piece.

"You wish to take a trophy?" Starfire asked, unphased by the new, improved, and still beaten Adonis. She had seen better on Robin; so, there was no comparison.

"No. I'm taking a sample," he corrected, storing the broken armor in a spare compartment in his arm. "Call it a hunch, but there's something I need to check."

"Then it will be a trophy," Starfire insisted.

It dawned on Cyborg the next moment as he produced a set of cuffs, binding the villain.

'Oh, she's as pissed as B was,' he thought, placing a police responder on Adonis's back, activating it.

He knew she had every right to be. Adonis had crossed a very fine line. Be a villain, okay; whoop their butts, comes with the job; violate Raven….

Adonis groaned, interrupting his thoughts. Before he could stop her, Starfire had lifted the bare villain up to meet her furious eyes.

"You will pray the thankfulness you are not on Tamaran," she growled. "Your death would be the long and painful for your touching friend Raven. Should your offense transgress again, I will take the pleasure of sitting back with the corn that is popped, and the watching Beast Boy grind you into the fertilizer. It will be most glorious."

Even with her strange wording, Cyborg swallowed nervously. Her using her signature 'glorious' in such a manner made it all the more terrifying. 'Yeah, I'll leave this one to Robin.'

* * *

 **A/N:** Yay! Chapter 7 is here! Did I have ya guys rolling for a bit there? I regret nothing!

Forever again, if there is anything that needs edited, or is connecting in a weird way for you guys, let me know and I'll try to clean up the text. I do accept grammar and spelling errors too (PM these if possible, and I'll add them to my next Hard Edit)

As always (and I'll just keep posting this because its true), keep posting your constructive criticisms, as they will help me know what to look for in my future writings, and for the days I decide to do a hard edit. I look forward to growing as a writer for you guys and myself

 _Tamaranian Translations (Original Translation)_ **:**

 _Grebslaok_ \- a coward; the lowest insult, next to _Troq_. Tamaranian's are a warrior race. To run from a fight is the most dishonorable thing to do. To them, a coward is _less than nothing_.

 _Ragnauqtorix_ \- Spoilers!

 _Gen'da'hen_ \- quiet literally: "one whose heart is shared"; lover; beloved; true love; soul-mate; used on Tamaran between two couples in a very deep, emotionally bonding and emotinally intimate relationship.

(Review Response disclaimer: I ramble sometimes. That's just me being excited. If I don't ramble, I'm still excited, just calm. Also, I have a "different" sense of humor. I swear it's not you, it's completely and utterly me.)

And now for the new _Reviews Responses_ :

\- FF8cerberus: Questions answered! I won't apologize for making a villain that was in hiding for two years, annoying (p.s. all three suit colors appeared in the series). And hopefully I met your satisfaction for revenge.

\- Junior VB: Wish granted.

\- Guest: Also wish granted.

*End of Review Response

Chapter 8 is coming soon. Stay tuned until next time.

* * *

Final Edit 10-14-2018


	9. Chapter 8

Chapter 8:

* * *

 **A/N:** Let us take this moment to savor the fact that another week has passed by so quickly. With that, I hope you guys enjoyed your Memorial Day! Some of you lucky peeps get the day off.

Slip-n-slide Dance! Just one week short of two months. Got all my stuff at my new place. YAY! It's old, it smells a little bit, but it's mine. Currently don't have internet (my normal provider is only open to setup on the days I work, at the times I work, and I have no contingency *Hulk Rage Face Emoji*), so I'm currently using my local library... because books are good for you.

We're at twenty-five Reviews (nice lil' jump), twenty-five Favorites, thirty-five Followers, and over thirty-three hundred views (" _Mooovin' on up...mooovin' on up_ "). (P.S. I use this particular note as a kind of mile stone for myself). You can't hear me singing right now, which is good... because I sound like a coyote in a trash-compactor. Thank you for your continued support.

Don't forget to post any QCC so I can post responses (Note to audience, the longer the QCC, the longer I'm compelled to make my response. Do with that what you will)

The intensity is over for some of you: Adonis has been defeated most "gloriously". But for others of you, the real fun is just beginning.

Disclaimer: "If I had the deed to Teen Titans, that would be the end of it. I would not search for it, I would not fight for it; but as I do not, I will hunt for it, I will find it, and I _will_ own it." - please reread in best Liam Neeson voice

Without further adieu. *Que the dimming of the lights*

* * *

Falling Apart:

Chapter 8-

The rain had picked up significantly as the cops hauled away the crumpled Adonis on a stretcher. He'd be admitted under the security wing at Jump City Memorial Hospital with heavy sedation, heavy guard, and a heavy sentence. And given the extent of his injuries, he wasn't going anywhere anytime soon.

Watching with some resignation, Cy had remotely summoned the T-car, and tied down the crumpled wreckage that was the R-cycle to the back. Now four of the five Titans were seated in the custom seats, very little but the occasional passing car and the rhythmic slide of the window wipers signalled that they were progressively moving back to the Tower.

Starfire sat up front with Cyborg, her mood still fouled and showing no signs of improving, even when Cyborg had brought up Robin. Her persistent anger at the armored villain far superseded the time Beast Boy had accidentally pranked her with a balloon full of motor oil, or when her sister had tried marrying her to an alien jelly cephalopod-thingy.

Raven was in the back, her hood drawn further up than normal, and seated in her standard lotus position as best as she could manage in the cramped space. Her hands were drawn into an unfamiliar sign, and she whispered her mantra calmly under her breath. It was understandable, he supposed. She had exhausted the greater reserves of her power, _and_ been subjected to... Adonis. It was a wonder she hadn't taken out a city block by then.

And Beast Boy... still hadn't changed back to human.

He was currently in the back, having assumed the form of a green wolf directly after he had calmed, rather than revert to human form. His chin rested softly on Raven's leg, every now and again letting out a deep breath as he took a reassuring guard post over her.

But over all, it was quiet in the car. Too quiet. Normally, there would be something to dull the silence: Star discussing a trip to 'the mall of shopping', B cracking a lame joke in an attempt to make Raven laugh, and Raven replying with a snark and witty comeback. There was none of that now, as if their happiness had faded with the sun.

The car gently thumped over a pothole, and the changelings head shot up in alert, laying back down only a moment later, another heavy sigh exiting his nose. Absently, Raven's right hand left it's pose, gently sliding across his head in comfort.

Cyborg hated the quiet. He had dreamed so long of a silent ride, nothing but the purr of Baby's engine and the dotted road. Now that he had his wish, it was downright miserable.

Distracting himself from the oppressive silence, he glanced at the analysis progress of Beast Boy's DNA. Even with all his spare processing power on the task, it was still painstakingly slow. 'Seventy-four percent.'

"I would like to do the apologizing," Starfire whispered, drawing everyone's curious attentions. Her eyes suddenly brimming with tears, as she held her hands tightly to her chest; as if afraid her words would be rejected. "During the fighting, I could not come to the defense of any of my friends. And I allowed my anger toward Adonis for hurting boyfriend Robin and friend Raven to do the clouding of judgement. I was the useless.

"I am sorry," she apologized again.

"It's no problem, Star," Cyborg replied gently back. "I got thrown around a lot out there. I wasn't exactly much help either."

"It wasn't your fault Starfire," Raven replied, her eyes still closed in focus. "I didn't think Adonis would pull something like that. I chose a terrible place to try and regain my power, and it almost cost you guys."

"You are not the angry that he did the violation of your person?" Star asked.

Beast Boy's hackles raised as a chesty growl exited his throat, quickly silenced by Raven's stroking hand.

"I'm not so much angry as...disgusted," she said, a calm ease playing to her face. "He held me hostage, but that doesn't mean I don't appreciate your words of anger toward him. I just wish I had been able to fight back better."

She rested her hand on Beast Boy's head as a sense of blame and self-loathing internalized in his aura. He blamed himself: for making her experience his pain, for overwhelming her emotions, for making her overuse her power...all for his sake. Even if he never said it, he took the fault for compromising her ability to defend herself, and he was trying so hard to make it up to her.

"Thank you," his wolfish hearing picked up, his emerald eyes glancing up at her, and her amethyst eyes returning the gesture.

"For saving me again," she clarified softly. "I guess that means I still owe you one. Just... make sure I'm not saving you from yourself again. It…hurts to see you like that."

Her face was passive underneath her hood, not betraying a single thought or feeling. But her violet eyes said it all, her silence speaking far louder than her words ever could. She didn't blame him, and neither did she want him to take the blame.

If he were human, he would have given her his brightest smile. But being human meant he could talk and talking meant he could respond to questions. He didn't want to hear the questions; not when he didn't have the answers. He didn't know what had happened.

The instant Adonis had hurt Raven, he had attempted to release the restraint on that primal side, his inner beast, only for it to rip free of his self-imposed chains all on its own. He remembered shifting, and returning back to human involuntarily, only to be bombarded by something...more. More bestial, more primal than he had ever felt. If that was even possible.

Glimpses bounced around in his head, as if seeing the scene from multiple views in fast-forward, but he couldn't hone in on any one image long enough to grasp a meaning. Everything had gone blank again after that. Until he felt himself calming.

He had felt himself returning to his human skin, and opted to shift into something else, something he could hide himself behind, the knowledge that he had lost control again clawing at his guilty conscience. Even though he didn't know what happened, it was clear the team was distant about it. They hadn't mentioned it at all. And top it off, coming down from that primal high he left his senses reeling; but even then, some of those instincts still held fast, holding fast control to a part of his sub-conscious.

Above all, his instincts demanded that Raven remained under his protection. Even now, in the form of a wolf, he felt his body become alert whenever something startled him. And whenever his fears were unfounded, he breathed in, allowing her scent to calm him, taking in each stroke of her hand as though he depended on it.

It was too short a trip back to the Tower, but to Beast Boy's comfort, Raven didn't stop petting him the whole way.

With a double-chirp, a click, and the clunking of the garage door, the T-car was locked up in the garage. Cyborg would have removed the R-cycle, but after the occurrences of the morning, he didn't feel like dealing with it. He was beat, and everyone was right there with him.

"I wish to do the checking on of Robin," Starfire stated as they all moved to the elevator.

"That's fine," the tin-man replied, waiting until the Empath and the wolf made it into the elevator before clicking a large 'C' button for the Commons.

It was a quiet ascension, and the smaller space didn't help the tense atmosphere as they rose.

"So...B, you gonna change back?" Cyborg asked, glancing down at the green lupine.

The wolf grunted as it shook its head, sitting gently on its haunches next to Raven, his ears changing direction every so often as if listening for an enemy.

"I'll be fine Beast Boy," Raven stated passively, earning her a gentle whine from the changeling. "I just need some rest. And you should probably...make sure you're fine too." Her hesitancy was note enough for the Titans.

"It can wait Raven," Cyborg interjected, tapping the spare compartment of his arm. "I need you to do a healing session with Robin, and I've got some analysis on Adonis's armor to do. I'm not sure how yet, but that tech was way too advanced for that muscle-head."

He and Beast Boy shared a meaningful glance, one that suggested he was buying time for the results of their private conversation to come to fruition.

"Friend Cyborg, should we do the waiting after what has been seen," Starfire asked. "The heating of the head is a sign of the fever in humans, yes? And friend Beast Boy's head was truly the hot."

"Starfire has a point...sort of," Raven affirmed. She paused as she sensed the tension that surrounded Cyborg: the same tension that always surrounded him when he was trying to keep a secret. Beast Boy was as near-impossible to read as ever, but he seemed to be purposefully avoiding her eyes.

"Is there something going on?" she asked, not completely aware of what she was picking up on.

Sighing, the tin-man looked at the wolf, both sharing an understanding as the changeling returned to human form. He remained crouched, as if prepared to shift at a second's notice the moment he became uncomfortable.

His clothes were tattered. Parts of his Doom Patrol uniform were barely held together, one entire shoulder completely bare. His gloves were gone, exposing his green hands and blackened claw-like nails. His sleeves, pants, and back were patched with rips and tears. The fronts of his sneakers were blown out, exposing his bare clawed toes.

"I…." Beast Boy seemed to think over his words as he contemplated how much he should divulge. "... already asked Cyborg to check my DNA."

The other Titans paled at this. "But friend, why would you ask for such a thing?"

"After what Robin said, I wanted to be safe about 'it' coming back," he responded, nervously rubbing his left arm. "And judging from the fight with Adonis, something happened, right?"

'You could say that,' Raven thought. Not everything added up: his emotional plummet, the suppression of his primal side in favor of the strange shifting growth, or the emerging of the new amalgamic creature.

"I don't know what's happening," he confessed, the frustration evident on his face. "But Cy already has my DNA scanning, so it's fine.

"Just, don't tell Robin," he added reluctantly as an afterthought. "If it turns out that something is wrong, I- I'll tell him. I owe him that much at least."

A wave of sadness flowed over Raven as she watched the changeling turn grimly toward the ground. She felt it again, his emotions pulling in on himself, his self-loathing once again bubbling to the surface.

As if in response to his feelings, his skin seemed to visibly crawl, a strange shifting wave moving over the contours of his flesh. He didn't swell into a mass again, but it seemed as though he might at any second.

She needed a plan, someway to help him. It would take some preparation, a little rest, and a mental session with her emotions, but...it didn't guarantee that she would be able to help. Still, if she could help...

"Bea- Garfield," she amended, his face glancing up at hers curiously. "If something is wrong, I…might be able to help fix it. I can check my books...or something, for a spell that should help."

"But if something wrong, then I'll just create another antidote," Cyborg pointed out simply.

"I appreciate it Cyborg, but I get the sense this is more than an antidote can handle," she replied, giving a look that said she was as close as it came to the expert there. "If something come up with your scan, let us know, but I'm certain this will require magic."

"Sure thing," he grumbled, glancing down at the analysis. 'Ninety-two percent.'

"Until the scanning is the conclusive, you should rest," Starfire insisted, resting a hand on Beast Boy's shoulder. "Do not do the worrying, friend. Our lips are as sealed as the _Gekbakroff Nistilbrit_."

The changeling attempted to smile, but it felt weak even to him. "Okay, I'll try."

"I'll call you when I'm ready," Raven stated, the chime of the elevator doors opening interrupting mildly as she met his eyes. "But first, I have to make sure Robin can at least walk without wincing."

"Don't kill him," Cyborg called, as she exited the elevator. "No one else wants to deal with the police forms and paper filing."

Balking at Cyborg's comment, Starfire followed closely behind the Empath. "And I shall do the accompanying...to be safe."

The tin-man and shapeshifter watched as both the females left, quickly stepping off the elevator before the doors closed. As if by instinct, Cyborg began moving toward the Common's, his stomach rumbling something fierce. When had he last ate? The waffles that morning? It seemed like a lifetime ago.

"What really happened Cy?"

His heavy steps stopped mid-stride, his back still to the changeling. He didn't dare turn around, didn't dare look his best friend in the eye.

"You won B. That's what matters," he said, his voice almost as monotone as Raven's.

"Then say it to my face," he demanded, his voice breaking slightly. "What did I do Cy?"

Cyborg turned around, his human eye making the connection that Beast Boy had asked for. "You saved Raven, again," he answered, a small smile playing his face, "That's what matters."

"Then why was everyone looking at me like I was broken?" Beast Boy asked, looking down. "Like I did something bad?"

A gentle but firm mechanical hand rested on his shoulder, pulling the changelings attention back up to the taller Titan. "Get some rest B. We'll sort everything out."

With that Cyborg began walking away, his stomach no longer a pressing concern as he made straight for Med Bay Two.

"You didn't answer my question," Beast Boy muttered. His ears drooped as he dragged his feet back to his room, dreading any answer that he might receive if he asked the others.

'So, this is what it feels like after I lose control,' he thought, his chest shuddering in a wave as he walked. He may not have understood what he had done, but he got the sense that it hadn't been good.

He sighed as the state of his dress became apparent. 'And now I have to change.'

 ** _(Scene Break)_**

"Friend Raven, you will please not do the killing of boyfriend Robin," Starfire implored for the umpteenth time. "I know you have recently become the defensive of friend Beast Boy, but that is no reason to do the killing."

"For the last time," she responded for the umpteenth time in return, "I'm not going to kill Robin.

"Like Cyborg said, no one else wants to do the paperwork," Raven added as a snark afterthought.

"But you were so angry with him earlier," she responded defensively. "I have done the talking with him as promised. There is no need to-"

"If you say 'don't kill him' again, I will seriously consider it," Raven retorted quickly, the light snarl of Rage touching her voice. She stopped, rubbing the bridge of her nose with two fingers as she sighed. "I'm sorry. I'm just...worried."

"About Beast Boy?" the Tamaranian asked, smiling slightly as her friend admitted to her feelings. "He was in much pain, and he changed into...weird things."

Raven agreed. "He only does things like that when he is angry." There had to be a correlation between the events, but that didn't explain everything.

The alien princess floated ahead so Raven could see her face. "He only does the strange changing when friend Raven is in trouble."

Raven missed half a step as she looked up from her thoughts. Starfire only glanced at her with an innocent smile, her hands clasped behind her back.

"That doesn't explain why half his body turned into a writhing blob of shifting appendages," she thought aloud, continuing past a still-floating Starfire. "No. There's something I'll have to check with him about."

Starfire face-palmed behind Raven's back. 'I thought I had done the hinting with clear words. Or is friend Raven's head thicker than a _Besgokal Kleetosporf_?'

An idea came to mind just short of the Med Bay, and she soared for it. "When friend Beast Boy was 'the blob' as you say, were you doing the checking of his temperature?"

"Checking his temperature?" Raven asked, unsure of what her friend meant.

"You placed your head to his. I have only seen such things when one is thee affectionate, or is checking the temperature," Starfire insinuated, gauging for a reaction.

Raven tried and failed to hide the shade of pink that crept to her cheeks, much to Starfire's barely contained delight, but contained none the less.

"I wasn't being affectionate," Raven denied strictly, "or checking his temperature." When the Tamaranian's silence persisted, Raven figured she wanted an explanation.

"I was opening myself to his emotions using my chakra," she explained, pointing to the red gem in her forehead. She was suddenly irritated with herself as she attempted to relive the moment. "I wasted too much time fighting Adonis, so I had no choice. He...he might not have made it if I hadn't. There was just...so much-"

She stopped herself, suddenly aware that she hadn't asked Beast Boy to share that encounter. His self-loathing, his sadness, his guilt; they were things only the two of them now knew about.

"And the hug shared was also not of the affectionate kind?" Starfire inquired.

"I was...relieved." A small smile found its way to Raven's face as she spoke about her feelings, still having to exercise self-control as emotions began to hum up in response.

Satisfied with the response, Starfire approached the Med Bay, the door opening with a hiss.

Robin lay in the Bay bed with a serious look, a roller-desk in front of him, and a small stack papers split into two piles. He appeared to be appraising his current document critically, as though every word was a trap. He was so engrossed in his work, that he didn't notice the approaching Titans.

Starfire stopped, crossing her arms with a purse to her lips. "You said you were not engaging in the research."

He looked up guiltily, giving her a small smile. "Glad to see you're alright. And it's not research, it's our legal fees and bills for the month." His face said he didn't know which was worse. "The problem with them is that when we aren't fighting super-villains and destroying public infrastructure, our bills skyrocket. The same goes vice versa.

"Thankfully, there have been fewer villains, but now our bills are up. Insurance can only do so much to help us replace a whole building, but all the same, we need to start laying some rules down so we can reduce the internet and electricity. I mean, who uses seven-hundred terabytes a month?"

"Ask Cyborg and his twenty-four-seven multi-server processors," Raven stated dryly. "It's in the computers, the TVs, the Gamestation...probably in the waffle maker too."

He seemed to notice Raven for the first time, and he jumped, as if expecting her to attempt to attack him again. His body was racked with pain, and he gritted his teeth, unable to move properly as he thought about his escape options.

"Don't worry," Raven reassured, moving closer. "No one else wants to worry about the bills and legal fees. Plus, it would be unsporting if you can't even run."

He grimaced a smiled at her attempted humor as he hugged his sides. "Glad I'm not fair game."

"And I don't like having witnesses," Raven replied, gesturing to Starfire with a flick of her hooded head. "She was begging me the whole way not to kill you."

Understanding the necessary points of their conversation, Starfire cleared her throat. "You were doing the healing," she said with some forced patience. "I wish to be doing the hugging and scolding of boyfriend Robin because he got the hurt."

Raven smiled at Robin's face as the thought of his girlfriend squeezing him in an alien-gripped hug circulated the room. Pushing his makeshift desk aside, much to his reluctance, she set to work. A shimmering, icy blue energy forming on her hands as she sought out the wounds.

'Cracked ribs, minor fractures, severe bruising, and a concussion,' Raven surmised. 'And he's still worried about the paperwork?' She gave him props for his dedication and focus...even if it was for his job. 'He might even make Employee of the Month.'

She began with his fractures, slowly straining to draw the energy necessary to heal him.

"So...I should apologize," he said, shifting uncomfortably as a soothing ease began to fill him. "It wasn't my intention to make you ang-"

He gasped as bones forcibly sealed, his body jolting. It was a temporary, but sharp pain that forced him to draw in a deep, steady breath. Too his surprise, his body felt better once the pain subsided, but that didn't stop it from smarting, or ghost of his pain from lingering.

"I'm still angry," she clarified, a second set of squinting red eyes making that all the more apparent. "So if you don't want it to hurt, shut up."

Robin tried to remember the last time the Empath had forcibly silenced him. To his grim realization, this was a first.

"Raven...talk to me" he implored. "Is this about Beast…." He groaned as ribs sealed with a _Snap!_ , trying his best to inhale. "...Boy?" he wheezed out.

"And what would give you that impression?" she stated, her usual monotone coming to the surface, the blue corona around her hands flickering as red as her top set of eyes.

"Friend Raven," Starfire eased with worry, "Please be the gentle. I know you are the angry, but harming Robin with the healing will not be solving the...issue."

'No, but it will make me feel better,' Raven thought. With reluctance she allowed her emotions to calm for her friend's sake, her second set of eyes retreating.

"Raven-" He hesitated, not sure if he wanted to risk her wrath. "I'm sorry."

She glared at him, but didn't stop healing. "If there is anyone to apologize to, it's Beast Boy.

"And if you ever, even for a moment, so much as _think_ about kicking him off the team again-" She let her gaze do the talking. There would be a reckoning, one Rage...no…every aspect of her would be sure to ensue.

"Is he...alright?" Robin asked, unsure it was the right question, or self-explanatory.

A look of worry crossed Raven's half-concealed face. But it faded quickly, reabsorbing back into her stoic visage.

"He was hurt," she said simply, purposefully avoiding the subject of his primal side emerging again. "I was able to help him a little, but I need to make sure there were no side effects."

Sensing something off, Robin raised an eyebrow as the pounding in his head began to heal. "What happened? What aren't you telling me?"

Raven didn't answer, instead focusing on her healing. It was a lot to handle all at once, but it was a better alternative than answering Robin's question.

"Raven...we're connected," Robin stated critically, attempting to draw her eyes to his by force of will alone. "I know when you're hiding something."

Starfire inhaled with a pang of jealousy. While she knew that Raven and Robin were more like siblings, they shared a mental connection forged by Raven merging her soul-self with Robin. At the time, it was necessary; with Robin under the effects of a powerful hallucinogen that gave him visions of a thought-to-be-dead-turned-living-again Slade.

Even though she understood, Starfire wished it was she who shared the bond with Robin.

Sensing Starfire's jealousy, longing, and understanding; Raven sighed as she finished healing Robin's concussion.

"There's a lot I'm hiding Robin," she replied stone-faced. "But I'm worried about Beast Boy. I've never seen him...so open. He's hurting more than he'll ever let on, and no amount of coaxing is going to bring make him share."

A guilty look came across Robin's face as he contemplated her words. 'She was worried about Beast Boy. She never worries about him. Was it what I said to him?'

"Well, I'm glad you got through to him."

Raven shook her head as the last of his bruising began to fade. "No, I had to influence his emotions directly."

His mask raised with his eyebrow, glancing between a reluctant Raven, and his girlfriend.

"She had to use her 'chakra'," Starfire explained, still not completely convinced about Raven's 'joining of the foreheads' with Beast Boy. "She did the putting her head to Beast Boy's when he was 'the blob'."

A flash of anger was quickly overcome with concern as his synapses began firing in the right order. He remembered what had happened right before Cyborg had sent him to the Tower. "I see. It was that bad."

"Yes Robin," Starfire answered. "Raven came in thee knick that is time. We do not know what might have happened to friend Beast Boy, but he was...in the bad way, as you might say."

"I need to check on him," Raven said, quickly moving to her feet. "You should be fine now, but don't strain yourself."

A firm grasped snatched her wrist to prevent her from leaving. As she turned, she was met by Robin's serious gaze.

"I'll apologize to him, Raven. I promise."

Her head tilted in acknowledgement before she pulled away. The hiss of the door was the only sound to signify her exit.

Robin leaned back, partially in defeat, and partially in worry. His eyes closed as he thought of how he could have done better. How he could have stayed in the fight, how he could have protected them...how he could have responded better to Beast Boy.

A warm presence enveloped him as he felt Starfire crawl onto the Bay bed with him, gently laying on his chest as she wrapped her arms around him. His arm moved of its own accord as he wrapped around her shoulder, holding her as close as he could.

"I am glad my _Gen'da'hen_ is safe," she scolded in a whisper, a wave of exhaustion hitting her, but not preventing her form from glowing slightly in joy.

She didn't talk, only sound was of her breath slowly inhaling and exhaling in a peaceful rhythm, as she did the cuddling.

"I'm glad you're safe too."

 _ **(scene break)**_

The Tower's analysis chamber beeped steadily as it created a three-dimensional holographic projection of the armor shard Cyborg had taken from Adonis. A sub-sonic resonance scan revealed the components, the hologram quickly dividing into the separate pieces.

Cy looked at the scans, appraising the individual pieces as well as the whole, attempting to find how Adonis's suit did what it did. Chemical analysis, molecular composition, motor function, DNA scans; the works. He wasn't letting a thing go unnoticed.

'This stuff is way too advanced,' Cyborg observed from his preliminary study, 'even for Adonis.' He hadn't seen anything this mechanically intriguing in a long time. Things like enhanced physical defense and strength had been common in Adonis's suits; but now the additions of incredible speed, armor regeneration, and even armor layering. Luckily, Adonis hadn't been smart enough to install neural-ocular cognition enhancers, which explained why he had to slow down to strike. Without the ability visually keep up with his body's movement, the enhancement was overall, limiting. Not that it still wasn't a pain in the ass.

As if in response to his curiosity, his systems sent him an internal alert, a small pop-up pinging within his electronic eye. It opened automatically, giving him answers he had been scanning for.

 _'Genetic analysis for Adonis: no genetic alterations detected. Chemical analysis for Adonis: trace amounts of steroids detected. Test confirmed_.'

"Well that explains how he 'filled out'," Cyborg voiced aloud, quickly scrolling to a different alert that popped up.

' _Unknown genetic sample: no known species. Closest viable relations: Identified. Fragmented traces of_ Gorilla gorilla _and_ Diceros bicornis _genetic material. Warning: genetic structure unstable_.'

'No shit,' he thought, knowing full-well that his best friend's DNA was unstable. How else was he supposed to shapeshift? Thankfully, Beast Boy's amalgamic form left some not-so-shape-shifting samples for him to analyse; and all conveniently left on Adonis's armor.

A quick database search of _Gorilla gorilla_ and _Diceros bicornis_ revealed a little more as the images appeared next to the armor hologram.

'Okay?' he thought, his eyes furrowing in thought. 'Called it on the gorilla, but….'

The images of a Western Gorilla and a Black Rhinoceros reflected lidlessly off his red eye as he attempted to make a reference point in Beast Boy's DNA. "How the hell did you do it B?" he wondered, his scans coming up just as baffled as he felt. "How did you combine the different genetic strands? More importantly, how did you perfect the traits that came out?"

It was too coincidental. Everything Cy knew about genetics, not that he'd claim vast knowledge, told him that the combination should have been defunct, mutated, an abomination. Yet the computer half of his brain showed him the image of the monstrosity that had come out of the combination, and it was…superior. Nothing in nature could have produced such a flawless combination of beasts, much less exploited some of their most vital advantages, or used their lesser advantages in such coordinated conjunction.

More shocking to him was a single fact: Beast Boy had combined two species of animal…two totally unrelated species. Everything Cyborg understood about the changeling's powers told him that it wasn't within his scope to just suddenly up and "Oh, I can turn into hybrid beasties now. Surprise!" If he could have, Cy had no doubt his friend would have exploited this sooner in their hero careers.

A thought came to mind as Cyborg ran through his database, and he quickly jumped on it.

"…DNA, DNA…recombinant…D. N. A.," he muttered in half-formed thought, sorting through his integrated archives. Uploading his mental imaging onto the Tower computer, he pulled it front and center with his hand as he projected the other images off to the side.

There was only one other instance of Beast Boy transforming into a combination of animal forms, and it hadn't been pretty the last time. The picture of a green apex beast fighting a red apex beast came into focus as Cyborg rested his hands on the console in thought.

"I gave you the antidote for the chemicals B," he growled, closing his eyes in even deeper thought. "Adonis didn't change back, yet you tried to when we fought him. And…."

Two other images uploaded as the legion of beasts and the mass appeared on screen right next to it. Cy quickly placed the images together, analyzing all four of them: the legion, the mass, the apex, and the amalgam. All four shapes in one day.

"…there were these." he continued as he finished the arrangement. He had never heard any of Beast Boy's forms talk before either. The whole experience had been…downright creepy. "Maybe…it wasn't strictly the chemicals. But what would cause _this_?" The image of the mass was terrible, causing Cyborg to wince at the perfect capturing of Beast Boy in agony.

'I'll delete it later,' he thought, hating to see his buddy in such clearly envisioned pain.

Another beep alerted him, the data appearing off to the side.

"Analysis of DNA derived from Teen Titan, code: 'Grass Stain', has been completed," the computer sounded, causing Cyborg to smile softly. His pet name for the changeling never got old, even after over four years of friendship and working together.

He quickly brought the screen to full size, as a microscopic video image was dominate, thousands of red blood cells living across his vision, only interrupted by the flash of rushing white blood cells. The data hugged the sides and automatically scrolled as it was continuously filtered, cross-referenced, and altered as the scan continued after completion.

Cy placed the bridge of his nose between his two mechanical fingers as he quickly categorized and minimized the numerous screens around him into folders he could reopen later. There was so much data to take in, and most of it was just dividing his focus. There were already too many questions without answers, and he was just creating more.

"One thing at a time Cy," he sighed, opening his eyes back up as he pulled up some files that he hadn't looked at in years. "Right now, cross-reference B's current DNA with previous samples."

His hands lifted from the console as he began opening the files. Data from Beast Boy pre- and post- werebeast immediately began comparing with the new data. He opened more files from B's transfusion scans, quickly noting how very little had changed between the many scans. The only notable differences were between pre- and post- werebeast. Everything after that looked nearly the same, but nearly three years had resulted in no significant changes to the changeling's gene structure. Nothing abnormal.

Frustrated, he flung all but the latest result into minimization, his brows furrowing at the sample he'd taken only that morning. There was nothing wrong, nothing different.

"DAMNIT!" His fist slammed angrily on the console, his eyes returning to the screen, as if half-hoping that his outburst would suddenly show him what he was looking for. It seemed to work in the movies after all.

Nothing.

"What's wrong B?" he asked the screen as his human eye began to shine with unfallen tears. "What do I do? I can't help if I don't know how–"

The blood cells jolted. As if on que, one cell shrivelled, until nothing but a grey husk faded into powdery dust. Slowly, one by one, the others around it began to shrivel as well in a domino-like fashion.

Cyborg watched, human eye wide as his entire sample began to die before his gaze.

"Error!" the computer affirmed. "Unknown cause of cellular degradation. Sample contaminated."

Cy moved quickly, his fingers moving across the invisible controls of the holo-screen. It zoomed in, showing him a red cell's innermost workings as the microscope amplified the image deeper into the cell's nucleus. Deeper and deeper still until the image of a single DNA strand laid out before him.

In horror, he watched as the strand crumbled, splitting down the middle like a wet piece of paper before the bonds completely dissolved, sending the individual pieces floating away. Zooming out showed him that the rest of the cells had died, nothing but crumbled lifeless blood.

"B…."

A single organism floated into the screens view. Smaller than the standard red blood cell, it was lively on the screen, bubbling across its surface. The organism pulsed in the sample, the surrounding dead matter suddenly liquidizing as it pulled back together. Cy watched as the whole of the cell structure reinvented itself into a red blood cell before rapidly dividing. In mere moments, the sample was covered once again in red and white blood cells again, as if nothing had happened.

"Warning: Unknown viral pathogen detected," the computer stated, quickly isolating the microscopic organisms Cy had just seen, the screen glowing a pulsing blue where ever they appeared.

"What the actual fuck, B?"

* * *

 **A/N:** Chapter 8 has been deployed, prepping Chapter 9 ASAP! Any ideas what's got to our beloved green changeling yet? Give it a whirl! (not that I'll give out the answer until the final curtain is prepared to be drawn, I just want to hear what you guys think). It's looking like I might have up to another ten chapters for this story (not official). But I'm so excited, that I decided to announce that I _REALLY_ want to do a sequel, or set up this story as continuing arcs (renamed and refurbished of course).

Forever again, if there is anything that needs edited, or is connecting in a weird way for you guys, let me know and I'll try to clean up the text. I do accept grammar and spelling errors too (PM these if possible, and I'll add them to my next Hard Edit)

As always (and I'll just keep posting this because its true), keep posting your constructive criticisms, as they will help me know what to look for in my future writings, and for the days I decide to do a hard edit. I look forward to growing as a writer for you guys and myself

 _Tamaranian Translations (Original Translation)_ **:**

 _Gekbakroff Nistilbrit_ \- Tamaranian deep catacombs, where the royal dead are buried. In this context, Star is essentially swearing on her family's graves; or saying she will be as silent as the grave. There are multiple contexts for this to be taken in.

 _Besgokal Kleetosporf_ \- a large saurian creature native to Tamaran, similar in build to a Triceratops, but possessing a hornless almost flat skull (like a Diplocaulus) and two lower mandibled jaws. The skull in question possesses both an endo- and exo-skeleton that is so dense, it can take starblasts with ease. In this context, Star is essentially calling Raven "dense"

 _Gen'da'hen_ \- quiet literally: "one whose heart is shared"; lover; beloved; true love; soul-mate; used on Tamaran between two couples in a very deep, emotionally bonding and emotinally intimate relationship.

(Review Response disclaimer: I ramble sometimes. That's just me being excited. If I don't ramble, I'm still excited, just calm. Also, I have a "different" sense of humor. I swear it's not you, it's completely and utterly me.)

And now for the new _Reviews Responses_ :

( _Authors Note:_ Special thanks to FF8cerberus and Junior VB for consistently giving feedback on my story, I hope you guys stick around for the finale... maybe. This could be my own Never Ending Story)

\- FF8cerberus: I'm glad you enjoyed it. I had fun building everyone's (readers included) anger at Adonis over the course of the fight, but Starfire's 'Righteous Fury' kind of summed it up for me as well. You can rarely get more terrifying than an rightfully angry Tamaranian. Thank you for clarifying your frustrations, and I hope to see your next response.

\- Junior VB: Indeed he is. Followed by major surgery, a year of medically induced recovery, another year of physical therapy, and seven years of psychological trauma counseling, he might make a full recovery (this isn't a Spoiler!, but the thought made me laugh)

\- Guest person: I agree, I wish I could have made him pay more, but I wanted the heroes to remain just that... heroes. Anything more, and I might have killed him prematurely (as to you being a mean Mofo: I think making him suffer with his consequences is the most fun ;) but that's just me)

\- Eris: Your wish is my com- oh wait... I already posted the chapter

\- SylarFan: Is your name in reference to Heroes? Anyway, make the villain suffer is more enjoyable than actually killing them (I'm the author, I get to prescribe their unending agony, so my fun never ends, muuuuhahahahahaha!)

*End of Review Response

We must prepare, Chapter 9 is coming.

* * *

Final Edit 10-14-2018


	10. Chapter 9

Chapter 9:

* * *

 **A/N:** The week is over, the week is done. Whoo! With that, careful what you eat. Raw Tai Dragon Peppers are a pain in the butt...oh, I see what I did there.

TWO MONTHS! Victory dance, the walk-in-place, followed by the hip-roll! Still doing my work at the library, but it's a nice environment to spur the defibrillators of imagination. Hopefully getting my internet setup next week! (YAY!)

We're at twenty-eight Reviews, thirty Favorites (nice little jump there!), thirty-seven Followers, and over thirty-six hundred views (Whoohoo!). (P.S. I use this particular note as a kind of mile stone for myself). We got this y'all! I wanna set a Followers goal...should I? Grrr, I don't want to hold any expectations, but I'm excited enough about this that I want to set myself up for anticipation. Thank you for your continued support.

Don't forget to post any QCC so I can post responses (Note to audience, the longer the QCC, the longer I'm compelled to make my response. Do with that what you will)

I got some interesting ideas into Beast Boy's condition, but I'd hate to spoil anything. I'm working on the outline for the big reveal that's set to take place a few chapters (ergo: a few weeks) from now. It's not going to be a Soap Opera big reveal (where you find out about it, and then you have to wait for the next episode, or in this case next chapter, to see how everyone feels about it), but a natural progression of the story within the chapter (I hope)

Disclaimer: "I just called to say, disclaimer! I still don't own the Teen Ti-tans!"

Without further adieu. *Que the dimming of the lights*

* * *

Falling Apart:

Chapter 9-

Raven stood in front of the changeling's door, knocking gently as she waited for a response.

"Beast Boy? It's – it's Raven," she called flatly, knowing that he was already aware of her presence. His aura brightened at her voice, a small amount of joy caressing Raven's forehead, causing her thoughts to swim slightly.

"Yeah, uh…be right there," was his response.

She waited, the sounds of shuffling audible. A sudden _Crash!_ startled her, a bout of muttered cursing rising from within the room. After several moments, the door hissed open.

Beast Boy stood in front of her, his neck bent tiredly and his hair more dishevelled than normal. A small smile and half-opened eyes was all he could muster, but the happiness he felt at seeing her was rolling off of him in droves.

"Were you sleeping?" she asked, genuine concern entering her voice, noting he was in a new Doom Patrol uniform.

His ears twitched slightly as his smile brightened. "Trying and failing," he admitted. He groaned as he rubbed his neck, rolling his head with a mild _crack!_ that made his spine shiver. He stood back to height, smiling at her. "And you? Did you get any sleep?"

"It's been less than fifteen minutes," she stated, her eyes narrowing at some unknown annoyance. "How in Azar's name was I supposed to heal Robin _and_ rest?"

He just shrugged absently, not remotely bothered by her tone. "What can I help you with?"

She looked him up and down, noting something off. "Did you change something?"

Beast Boy raised an eyebrow. "That's what you wanted to talk about? Whether or not I changed–"

"Answer the question," she snapped, something tickling the back of her mind. 'Something is off.'

"Not really," he answered, looking her over. "Anyway, if you're gonna 'help fix' me, shouldn't you be rested?"

She smacked herself mentally as the change she had finally noticed came to mind. "I don't like it."

He looked at her, confused now more than ever. "Uh, Rae…don't like what? Is my room too messy or-"

She crossed her arms and looked away, clearly frustrated. "You're…taller than me. I don't like it."

It was a moment. Then two. He just looked at her like she had said the most random thing in the world. "Um, Raven, I hate to tell you, but I've been taller than you for over a year. Besides, it's only one inch."

"No you weren't," she stated angrily. "I never had to look up to see your eyes." Her glare could have melted glaciers in that moment. "I liked it better when you were shorter."

He bowed his head as he sighed in resignation. "Ease up Rae, I just stopped slouching is all." He adjusted his posture, now at eye level with the sorceress. "There, are you any happier?"

"A little," she stated, unsure now how to recover the conversation since she had sabotaged it with something so trivial. She didn't want to meet his eyes, especially now that Starfire's comments were coming to mind. "H-how are you feeling?"

"Like I've been cut down to size," he responded, smiling slightly at his own joke, knowing full well what she meant.

She felt the chuckle build up in her chest, only for it to fade as she reigned it in. Happy was bursting inside her head. "Your jokes are still terrible."

"Can't blame me for trying," he responded, his hands shrugging with his shoulders. "Thought I could get both a smile and a laugh today. Guess I was pushing my luck."

The silence became awkward once more as they stood but a few feet apart, unsure of what else that could be said.

'This isn't supposed to happen,' she thought. They were supposed to fight, argue, get on each other's nerves. They were supposed to act the same as normal, granted in a more mature fashion. But right now, it was as if they were both mellowed by the others company. Or perhaps the thought of something happening to Beast Boy held unnecessary arguments in check.

"Um…do you want to come in, or would you like me to come out?" he asked, scratching the back of his neck. "It's just kinda awkward just standing in the doorway."

She glanced past his shoulder into his room. It was still a mess. Clothes that she had never seen Beast Boy wear before were strewn everywhere. Though the ground was surprisingly absent of any food; that was a plus.

Her brows furrowed as she caught a glance in the corner, a small item catching her attention. Absently, she pushed past him, floating just above the lower wreckage that was his floor as though it were a minefield.

A small toy monkey sat on the corner of his dresser, a cymbal held in each of its hands. It had a small tail curling from the back, and a small blush from its smiling monkey face.

"I thought you were getting rid of this," Raven commented as she picked it up, remembering the last time she had seen the annoyingly happy toy.

"Yeah," he said, scratching the back of his neck. "I said that didn't I? Something about your powers bringing fictional monsters to life when you were scared. Did I ever mention that I was right? You were scared."

She growled her annoyance at being reminded of that time. "So why do you still have it?" she asked, waving the toy dismissively.

"Hey! Careful!" he cried, appearing next to her in an instant. He gently relieved the toy from her hand, holding it close as his suddenly quick breath slowed again. "Careful," he repeated quietly. "I already broke this once, and I don't want it broken again."

Raven watched the heavy waves of relief flood into him. His attachment, his endearment to the object he held was powerful; as if it were his most important possession. If she had to make a comparison, she'd akin it to her feelings toward her beloved Book of Azar; perhaps more so. Very carefully, he set it back down on the dresser, being as cautious as if it were glass.

Listening to his breaths of relief, she observed the simple looking toy with a mixture of loathing and confusion, her eyebrow raising in response to her feelings. "What's so special about it? Aren't you a little old for kid toys?"

Beast Boy's sad smile turned to her kindly as he met her eyes. She could see the moisture in his eyes holding back as he met her question with a heart retching answer. "It was from my parents."

Raven was bombarded by his sadness, by his hurt, and pain and self-loathing. But also his joy, his content, and his love. In that one phrase, she felt the whole scope of his emotions bear down on her with unrelenting force.

"Sorry," he stated, his emotions fading away just as quickly to concern. "I didn't mean to overwhelm you again."

She was half-conscious of her hand holding her head as she stared at him, stared at the monkey, and stared back at him. "I'm sorry," she stumbled, her mouth opening and closing several times before she muttered her next breaths. "I didn't know."

"It's okay," he said, standing nervously as he rubbed the back of his neck. "I shouldn't have hit you with my emotions. I seem to be doing that a lot lately." Absently, he leaned on the wall next to her, passively looking around the room in case she needed a bowl again. To his relief, an old empty popcorn bowl was nearby.

She frowned at his apology. "It's not something you can help. It's natural for you to feel powerful emotions, just as it's natural for me to intercept them. There's nothing to apologize for. Granted, you gush emotion almost as bad as Starfire, but it's a part of you."

She glanced at the monkey curiously, watching its permanent fuzzy smile with some irritation. It reminded her too much of Beast Boy: all smiles, bright, and noisy once you got him going.

"So Mento and Elasti-girl got that for you?" she asked, smiling inwardly as she thought about what a toddler Beast Boy must have looked like playing with his toy monkey.

"No, my real- I mean my biological parents," he corrected sadly. His arms crossed protectively, pulling in tighter around his torso. "I got it from my birth mom and dad."

Raven hid her surprise as best as she could, holding his emotions at bay to prevent their torrent. "I thought you couldn't remember anything before the Doom Patrol."

"I _wish_ I couldn't." His face said that there was so much more to the story, and Raven found herself intrigued by it.

"I'd rather not go into it," he said conclusively, rubbing his elbows, the illusion of cold washing over him. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have mentioned it."

"It's fine," she replied, her monotone hiding her disappointment. She was curious now that they had talked, even if it was short lived; and there wasn't a book she could just consult to learn the secrets of one Beast Boy a.k.a. Garfield. It was then that she realized that she didn't even know his last name.

"Um, are _we_ okay?" he asked suddenly, startling her.

"Why wouldn't we be?" she replied stoically, meeting his eyes. "We're...best...friends." She couldn't stop the blush that came to her face as she spoke. Best friends was something she had only ever been with Starfire, and saying it to Beast Boy felt…. Right?

"I don't know," he whispered, unaware of her change in composure. "But I lost control again, and I wanted to make sure I didn't…hurt anyone. Cy wouldn't tell me about anything that happened, so it was bad wasn't it?"

"You saved me," she said reassuringly. "You beat Adonis, and we won."

"Raven," he whispered in an angry-dripped tone. "Please don't make me ask. Cyborg said almost the exact same thing, and I know when you guys aren't telling me everything. It may be minute, but your tone changes."

"Garfield, you didn't do anything wrong," she said, a little more force to her words.

His hands were on her shoulders as she was forcibly turned her his direction, causing her to tense at the physical contact. Raven surprise was caught in her chest as she saw his eyes. They were angry; his teeth grit in a snarl.

"Let go," she answered back placidly, trying to pull away. His grip didn't loosen like she expected, and she remained in place.

"Raven, tell me what I did," he growled, his grip getting tighter as he pulled her closer.

She could feel the warmth of his less-than-minty-fresh breath on her face as he seethed. His grip was tight, but not painful just yet. And his eyes, as desperate as angry.

"Let go," she repeated, less sure of herself as his pupils came into focus. She tried to summon even a fraction of her power, only for it to forsake her as a feeling of Timid hit her square in the chest.

"Who did I hurt, Rae?" His voice slipped, his fear, his worry, his dejection, all cracking into his voice. "I'm begging you, please, tell me."

A shot of Brave whipped her head forward, her forehead smacking into his. The contact sent a spark of pain through her chakra as she received his confusion and distress; simultaneously expelling her nervous and surprised feelings out.

Slowly his eyes bolted wide in realization. Glancing at his tense hands, he slowly trailed his eyes upward to her lips, then to her amethyst eyes, then to the contact between their brows.

" _Gaaah_!" he shrieked, pushing away. He jumped back, instinctually morphing into a gecko, now frozen stuck to the wall as it's little legs shaking fearfully.

Raven quickly cleared away his emotions from her mind, glancing at the trembling lizard on the wall. Its large eyes were riveted on her, as if begging 'Please don't kill me.' They stood staring at each other for several moments, waiting for the other to react.

"I-I need to meditate," she said slowly, unsure of what just happened, or why he had reacted that way. She made a move to leave, stumbling as she tripped over some loose clothes on the ground.

"Rae- _ven_ ," she heard suddenly, turning back to see a human, wall-crawling changeling glancing at her fearfully. "I-I'm...I'm sorry. I don't know what I was-"

An audible heartbeat thuumed through the room, as if from a massive creature. Beast Boy clutched his arm as he it began to visibly boil. His grip lost, he fell to the floor, hissing as his body refused to respond.

Raven stood, half-caught between retreat and concern, unable to respond properly. On one hand, she was repulsed by his touching her; on the other the mass was beginning to bubble out of his arm again. On one hand, she needed to recover her continuously exhausted power; on the other, he needed help. ' _NOW!_ '

She ran….

...to the changeling.

'I hate this!' she thought, irritated that her powers were continuously failing her when she needed them most.

She knelt down next to Beast Boy, calling on reserves of calm and serenity she didn't know she had. Her hands covered themselves in an icy blue energy as she searched for the damage.

' _Everywhere_.' Her eyes widened in realization. 'The damage is everywhere.' Pulses of tracing energy bounded over his being, and everywhere it went, it felt a strangely harmful sensation...except the boiling growth of his arm. 'That's not possible.'

Gradually, the boiling began to spread, inflicting across his chest, up into his face, and down to his legs. It didn't stop until the flesh under Raven's hands was writhing violently. But everywhere his body crawled, the damage dissipated.

But Beast Boy's pain didn't go. If anything, it intensified.

She poured every controllable emotion she could think of into her power, watching as the energy in her hands swelled over Beast Boy like a shimmering cocoon. Gradually, his form began to return to normal, the boiling becoming a simmer, before ceasing all together.

He groaned, his eyes half opening as he stared blankly at her.

"Please don't tell me we're even now," he muttered tiredly, still holding his arm. Even then, he was trying to crack a weak smile. "I liked it better when you owed me one."

Raven gently wrapped her hands around his head, holding him close as her energy began to fade from him. His chest rose and fell rapidly with his quick breaths as his heart rate accelerated, but as if in contradiction, his eyes began to close on their own.

"You're an idiot," she scolded in forced monotone. "You didn't hurt anyone but Adonis. Whatever's happening to you… that's what… we're all afraid of."

"I-I'm mak…ing you…worry," he huffed in a partial laugh. But his face said otherwise. Raven could feel his distress at the matter, his concern. He hated making her worry, that much was clear. Even as her empathic powers were gently searching him, she watched as his mask slowly faded away.

His unintentional vulnerability surprised her even as he met her eyes. There was so much fear in those eyes. Too much. "What's happening to me Rae?" He winced as his arm began trembling, a single tear rolling down his cheek.

"I don't know," she replied, a sheet of dark energy beginning to wrap slowly around them. "But we'll find out….

"I promise."

 _ **(scene break)**_

 _Two hours later…_

Half of the Titans stood in the Med Bay, waiting patiently for some result-filled insights into Beast Boy's wellbeing.

Robin and Raven were absent. Robin had excused himself to make some calls, gathering what info he could on the viral pathogen through whatever sources he had accrued over the years.

After a large amount of convincing, Raven agreed to attempt at rest, on the condition that she be alerted to any change in Beast Boy's condition.

Cyborg was analyzing the current state of Beast Boy's blood in real-time, watching and waiting to see when anything would change.

Starfire sat in a fold-able chair that had been relocated to the room, her posture poise as her hands remained clasped in worry. While she didn't know how to help, she watched vigilantly over her friends.

And Beast Boy… Beast Boy was laying down on the hospice bed, currently asleep. Monitoring wires were placed all over his body, and a couple IV's now took up residence in his arm.

Cyborg glanced at the changeling from the corner of his eye, his features hardening. This was a process he had repeated about every five minutes, and every time he did, his mind replayed the same memory that had plagued him for the past two hours

Raven appearing out of the shadows of her bird-shaped soul, holding a half-conscious Beast Boy. Her distress was stark as she asked the tin-man to help her.

He had only just started an in-depth observation of the cellular degradation, and she had appeared just as the sample began to die once more. And as if in response, Beast Boy's body began to contort, his shapeshifting reconstituting the pustule mass.

It took Raven inexplicably smacking her forehead to B's, an action Cyborg was finding more and more intriguing with each repeat, and several minutes of healing magic before her magics puttered out in exhaustion. But Beast Boy's condition had drastically improved as a result.

Slowly, even the sample Cyborg had been analyzing, reconstructed the same way it had before: the unknown viral substance pulsing throughout the crumbling genetic sample.

Robin and Starfire were quickly alerted via communicator of the changeling's eminent status, leading to the current state of the Tower at hand.

"Will our friend be alright?" Starfire asked, pulling him back away from his thoughts.

Cyborg's attention was drawing him between the Tamaranian and the shapeshifter. He didn't know what to think or say. He had set up a search across every database, record, and sticky-note; and yet the virally-forged entities occupying Beast Boy's body were still a mystery; the search turning up nothing remotely promising so far.

So far, the virus, if that's what it was, wasn't multiplying like it should be; it wasn't attacking his immune system; it was just floating lazily inside the changeling's body. Worse yet, his current analysis' wasn't matching any previous scans he had taken of the changeling. There was nothing normal about this.

"I think so Star," he replied, a false smile emerging on his face. "Robin is following some leads, and once a Raven is rested, she can see about healing B."

"Is there anything I may do to assist?" she asked, her green eyes somewhat hopeful for a positive answer.

"I'm afraid I can't think of anything Star," he replied, aware that his answer wasn't the one she desired. "There's not much any of us can do but wait for the results."

Her conjoined hands clenched, her eyes furrowing as they closed, her chest rising slightly in a deep breath. "I do not like the waiting. I wish to be of help."

Cyborg glanced again at Beast Boy. In such a short amount of time, the changeling had visibly paled; his forest green skin now more of a pistachio. His already abnormally high body temperature and heart rate were now dangerously high by normal human standards and showed no signs of going down. A hundred-thirty degree fever, and a resting BPM of over two-fifty that was punctuated by the rapid beeping of the monitor.

The only thing that seemed to help in the moment was the forced, heavy sedation Beast Boy was under. As soon as he had been rendered unconscious, his unstable genetics had calmed significantly. But every now and then, his vitals would spike, his body steaming from a sudden internal temperature increase, and his heart rate beeping drastically. How he was surviving was a conundrum, yet welcome miracle to the half-robot.

The very… very thin silver-lining was that his cellular structure had remained relatively stable, though Cyborg was no closer to understanding the cause of it's collapse or it's sudden rejuvenation, save that it had something to do with the floating objects in his bloodstream.

"I wish I knew how to help too, Star," he said.

His fist suddenly pounded into the console, the machine whirring negatively at him. "Damn it!"

Starfire rose gently, walking cautiously toward her companion. "Friend Cyborg, why are you now the angry? Is there something wrong?"

"It's my fault Star," he cried, his shoulders sagging.

"You are the responsible for friend Beast Boy's condition?" she asked, her eyes wide with confusion and worry. "That seems to be 'the stretch' as it were."

"I'm the one who did the tests on his DNA, I'm the one gave him the antidote for the lab chemicals, I'm the one who's been checking everyone's health over the past two years," he stated, his human eye brimming. "I could...should, have detected this sooner."

The princess floated to his height as she put a hand on his shoulder. "You are no more to blame for our friend than you are for the setting of the sun. You should not bare such a burden when there is no need."

He glanced up at her, a single tear trailing down his face. "But… I'm the one who said his DNA was falling apart. And now it really is."

The memory playback was vivid in the circuit portion of his brain, like an HD-quality first-person video.

 _Three years ago…_

 _Beast Boy's sat in a chair he had been designated as his seat, Robin having just commanded him to keep his voice down. Just a few feet behind him, Raven lay on a bed, floating just inches from it's surface while she was in her healing trace; Starfire standing sentinel over her._

 _"What's happening to me?" B asked sombrely._

 _"I'm picking up traces of recombinant DNA," Cyborg said, glaring at a computer screen as an analysis of Beast Boy's genetics as it pinged its completion. His eyes widened slightly at the results, more from worry than surprise. "It's not human."_

 _"The chemicals at the lab?" Robin inquired._

 _"Because of the shape-shifting, his genetic code was always unstable. Maybe it's just finally falling apart," he responded, his shoulders sagging in dejection._

With that memory in mind, his eyes clutched shut, his brimming human eye pouring over. How was he not supposed to blame himself when he'd seen it coming?

"I am not aware of when such things were spoken," she said, her voice gentle and calm, "but surely you did not have the 'gravity of awareness' when you spoke these words. Otherwise, you would have acted sooner.

"You are not to do any blaming on yourself, friend. We are all aware now, so we all must do the helping how we can. I will assist friend Beast Boy, even if I may only do so by helping you."

To Starfire's surprise, a shiny dark liquid began to build in the crease of his glowing left eye, until even it began to gleam down his face.

"Friend, I know you are the occupied with the wordly digestion I have imparted, but you are leaking from the face," she warned cautiously, pointing to her eye.

Cyborg frowned as he wiped his eye, glancing at the solution on his finger. "It's just tears Star, everyone does that."

"Thee other side."

He repeated his action, glancing at the crude material on his finger. "Oh, thanks."

"Is everything thee alright?" she asked, reaching up to wipe away some of the substance. It was strangely slick.

"It's just oil," Cyborg stated passively, somewhat glad for the change in subject. It helped him focus his thoughts. "Prob'ly just needs changed."

Starfire smiled thoughtfully. "Yet it does thee imitating of your tears." She gently emitted green energy until the substance had burned away from her hand. "Perhaps friend Beast Boy's state has moved your machinations to do the crying. Perhaps they are beginning to replicate your biological parts as well."

"Nah," he said with a shake of his head, "I doubt my mechanical parts are that sophisticated. But thanks for hearing me out Star. It helped."

"I came in for the assist," she replied, smiling at her attempted use of football jargon. Though she did not completely understand the complexities of the Earthling game. Perhaps if they were trying to retrieve a 'Benjamin', she would understand; but two teams trying to 'Get the quarter back!' as her friends would apply yell during the 'Bowl of Supers' (but no superheroes took place in it?), seemed an unnecessary reason to fight. Why fight sport over such a small amount of change?

Cyborg, unaware of her inner dilemma, smiled brightly at her. "That you did Star. I appreciate it."

She moved in for the hug, her arms barely reaching around the half-robot's burly shoulders. "You are most welcome. Blame yourself no longer. As friend Raven would say, 'you must keep the calm'. Now, how can we help Beast Boy?"

His brow furrowed, and eyes narrowed in thought. "I can start by finding out how B got the virus, or whatever this thing is. Maybe that will give us clues on how to help him fight it." 'After all, most viruses don't have cures.' But he brushed the thought away.

"And," he continued, glancing at his abandoned console, and the many folders he had created to categorize his new work load, "I can see how Adonis may have built his new toy. But first, we worry about B."

Starfire put some thought into her contribution, her finger resting on her cheek. "Then for friend Beast Boy, I shall begin making the Pudding of Healing, followed by the Pudding of Wellness once he is the better. He shall consume the first once he is conscious, and the second when he is recovered. It will be a most glorious celebration!" Her goal in mind, she began happily floating toward her self assigned task.

Cyborg would have protested, wanting to spare his buddy the catastrophic culinary combo, but stopped himself. Star needed a distraction to help ease her worries, and in her own mind, contribute to Beast Boy's recovery. This would kill both birds with one stone. And besides, he smirked to himself in the knowledge that B was in for a rude awakening with Starfire's cooking. If they could get his body to fight the virus.

Sobered by this thought, he turned back to the screen that was projecting the viral entity, and it's rapidly fleeting comparisons to other known viruses that was scanning off to the side. No similarities just yet, but the scan was almost done.

An idea suddenly came to mind as he began typing a new command filter. "Viruses change and mutate," he reasoned aloud. "I don't need the exact virus, I just need the closest relative."

As the screen administered his new prompt, he turned back to his buddy, his gaze solemn, but mildly hopeful. "Hang in there, B. Just a little longer."

* * *

 **A/N:** Chapter 9 has been launched. Well done ladies and gentlemen. This is one small step for the author, one large step for author-kind. Thank you guys for your feed back on what _might_ be affecting Beast Boy. I still won't give it away (this is writing, not a TV show, I can't show you commercials for next time), but you guys made me think deeper into my 'Big Reveal'. Just thanking you guys for your comments, because whether you know it or not, it's making me a better author (criticisms or not).

Forever again, if there is anything that needs edited, or is connecting in a weird way for you guys, let me know and I'll try to clean up the text. I do accept grammar and spelling errors too (PM these if possible, and I'll add them to my next Hard Edit)

As always (and I'll just keep posting this because its true), keep posting your constructive criticisms, as they will help me know what to look for in my future writings, and for the days I decide to do a hard edit. I look forward to growing as a writer for you guys and myself

 _Tamaranian Translations (Original Translation)_ **:**

 _None this week!_

(Review Response disclaimer: I ramble sometimes. That's just me being excited. If I don't ramble, I'm still excited, just calm. Also, I have a "different" sense of humor. I swear it's not you, it's completely and utterly me.)

And now for the new _Reviews Responses_ :

\- FF8cerberus: I'm curious what you mean by "fesses up to Raven". I thought I brought it up...Maybe I didn't. I'll do a reread to see if I can understand.

As far as Raven and Robin having a "Connection", this is mostly a fanfic device, but it is mentioned in the series a couple of times (I believe it was in "Birthmarked"), specifically by Robin. This could simply be a mutual understanding and respect, or a psychic bond. I personally think it's a psychic bond (minor...just to make my position clear), because of what Raven says in "Car Trouble" about when she takes control of something, she puts a little of her soul into it; it becomes a part of her, and her apart of it. Plus given that Raven hasn't been displayed merging consciousness with anyone else (as far as I know, correct me if I'm wrong) in the series, I opt for the link. I don't think this makes them Shipping material, but it deepens an already powerful bond that's been evident throughout the series (which is why I had Raven react the way I did to Robin's actions toward Beast Boy)

I'll say that the blue glow was from the computer analyzing the foreign structures, so no worries there. I'll try to clarify that when I go back to do my Hard Edits

I thought this would be a stand-alone too, until I started seeing how this would end, then it occurred to me that there was a whole multi-verse of possibilities open to me. However, everything: What's wrong, saving Beast Boy, and the afterward; will all be covered in _Falling Apart_. There is a Prologue, so naturally I need to add a Epilogue. Sorry if I left you or the readers with a lot to chew on.

\- zaknaf: Interesting thoughts. I wish my thought process was this cut and dry to me. Like I posted last chapter, it should start being revealed soon. But I like your ideas, ever considered writing your own fanfic? But all the same thanks for inspiring some extracurricular thoughts.

\- Destroyor63: Two days early just for you!

*End of Review Response

It may be a little longer until Chapter 10 comes out. I'm juggling a bit (not a lot), but I need to step back for a bit so the inspiration stays fresh. I want to keep the same spirit I had going into this. So to prevent exhausting my reserves of mental fortitude, I'll say it'll be about two weeks (maybe week and a half) until Chapter 10 comes out.

Love ya guys (but not in a sappy way). Until next time.

* * *

Final Edit 10-14-2018


	11. Chapter 10

Chapter 10:

* * *

 **A/N:** Gods the weeks are flying like a spine-tailed swift (fastest horizontal flight speed of any bird alive)! I need a calendar to keep track of the time that's flying... not that I'd ever look at it.

Just short of Eleven Weeks! I'd moonwalk if I could (used to be good at it actually, but not AGT good) Got my internet and it is... suffering under my abuse. The only time it rests is when I work, or I rest. It's been begging for a holiday recently and I'm not sure if internet should get vacation. Henceforth, my internet shall be known as Gillroy, so if I mention "Gillroy", you'll know, I'm talking about my internet.

We're at thirty-one Reviews, thirty-seven Favorites (Another nice jump!), forty-six Followers (*coughs* on air, 'cause he is so excited), and over forty-four hundred views (*self-applied Heimlich Maneuver*). (P.S. I use this particular note as a kind of mile stone for myself). I am shaking my groove-thing right now. No... now I am.

Don't forget to post any QCC so I can post responses (Note to audience, the longer the QCC, the longer I'm compelled to make my response. Do with that what you will)

I am so sorry I needed to take an extra week. I feel like I abandoned you guys for a little bit (*crying tears of regret*). BUT it has not been in vain. I took several days (after work of course) to sit down and contemplate where I wanted the story to go, and I don't think you guys will be disappointed when I write it up. I hope this chapter, and the upcoming ones, was worth the wait.

Disclaimer: The Teen Titans deed may have eluded me for now, but I'm currently working on a heist to retrieve it for my nefarious purposes. Muuuhuhahahahaha! You shall not foil me this time DC... Warner Bros.? Who owns this thing? *sigh* back to square one.

Without further adieu. *Que the dimming of the lights*

* * *

Falling Apart:

Chapter 10-

The darkened room should have been comforting. The smell of jasmine and incense smoke, the familiar silhouette of her overfilled bookcases lining the wall, the white lines of the Enchanter circle etched and drawn perfectly into the floor, the desk in the corner organized with jars of ink and blank stacks of paper, the bulk of her interdimensional trunk, or the hooded raven head of her bed baring over her like a protective gargoyle.

But no. None of it brought so much as an iota of ease.

Raven was supposed to be resting. She had promised she'd try. Instead, she sat in the lotus position atop her bedsheets, her knee ticking nervously as she waited for news. Her brows furrowed in concentration as she tried to meditate, only for the _ticking_ of her nightstand clock to audibly grow louder. Bit by bit, the ticking of her knee began to match the _ticking_ of her clock as time… crawled… slowly… by.

Her present anxiousness was almost as bad as the eve of her sixteenth birthday. Not quite as world-ending, but it still struck a solid cord of irritable unease in her; less dooming dread than a sense of ebbing and flowing worry.

'This is unnecessary,' she tried to convince herself. 'We're heroes. Danger and life-threatening disaster is part of the job description.' But whenever the image of Beast Boy screaming in pain as his body morphed against him touched the back of her eyelids, her concentration faltered. The feeling of his body writhing underneath her fingertips left her hands trembling, as if each of the nerves in her palm could feel the depths of his affliction.

After two hours of pointless "rest" and attempted meditation, she gave up, her pose going slack in frustration.

"For the peace of Azar," she swore under her breath. Try as she might, she couldn't banish Beast Boy's plight from her mind.

She glanced at the demon-cast mirror resting temptingly on her nightstand, it's reflective surface trying to draw her gaze. While she hadn't needed it for meditation or to reach her mindscape in a while, it negated the cost of power needed to enter her own mind. And she was still really low on power.

Hesitantly, she wrapped her hand around the cold handle, regretting her decision to enter more and more. There would only be chaos, but if she didn't sort it out, then it would remain as such, and there would be no help she could offer Beast Boy.

" _Azarath Metrion Zinthos_ ," she whispered, gazing into the mirror's reflective surface until she met her own eyes. Large, dark matter tentacles emerged from the mirror as if unfolding from the reflective surface, wrapping greedily around Raven as she was pulled in.

She had called it. Chaos. Absolute chaos.

Arriving in Rage's volcanic and trinitrotoluene infested world, Raven knew it was bad, but-

" _DIE YOU BASTARD!_ "

Raven was just in-time to see Rage dive tackle Rude, black tentacles smothering the both of them at Envy's behest as Rage grappled Rude by her cloak clasp and tried shoving her in a vat of lava. It looked like a three-way brawl had broken out among them in earnest.

Sitting on a jagged stone of dark-reflecting obsidian, Knowledge was pouring over a stack of tomes, three floating around her as she was hastily reading through them. Her mouth read as rapidly as her eyes, effortlessly switching from one book to another, her eye twitching in irritation as a wail broke out.

The wail came from Timid, who was sitting with Happy and Passion in a craggy corner, all three of them bawling their eyes out, making incoherent noises that Raven could only attribute to the dying misery she would expect to hear from a stereotypical bawling teenage human female. It was loud, obnoxious, and completely devoid of anything sensible, decent, or dignified.

Brave, Hope, and Temperance sat in a makeshift circle (or triangle?), levitating several inches off the ground. Their legs were crossed in the lotus position, their hands clapped together just below their individual solar plexai in the traditional Naval Chakra meditation.

Suffering once more sat on Temperance's lap, the silver Raven's meditative stance wrapped almost lovingly around the sickly yellow emoticlone. She too seemed to be meditating, her four eyes closed intently and her nose flaring as she breathed deeply.

"Isn't the Naval Chakra typically done on one's knees?" Raven asked, ignoring her otherwise "engaged" emotions.

"That's what I told them," Knowledge fumed aloud, not looking up from her research, as she switched books once more. "But do they listen to me? No."

"You can also do the Throat Chakra on your knees t-" Rude shouted out before taking a pummelling from Envy.

"Doing it this way allows Suffering to sit on my lap," Temperance answered simply, one eye opening with a smile as she glanced at Raven. "She'd be lonely otherwise." Suffering nodded, not breaking from her concentration.

"That's reasonable. So what in Azar's name happened?" Raven demanded, returning her mind to her task at hand.

"Name any one you like," Brave growled, not bothering to open her eyes as she continued meditating. "First it was Beast boy, then it was Adonis, then it was Beast Boy, then it was Robin, and finally it was Beast Boy… again!

"We're at right mess because of that dupe."

"And you… were saying… how cute it was… when he… saved us earliuuuurr-hurhur," Passion bawled between sobs.

Brave's brows furrowed before softening, the image of Beast Boy amalgamic form stepping pointedly between her and Adonis touching Raven's mind almost reflexively. Happy's blubbering stopped for a moment before resuming as if undisturbed.

"What happened there?" Raven asked, gesturing to the trio of Happy, Passion, and Timid.

"Timid is _really_ worried about Beast Boy," Hope stated kindly, "and it's hard to be Happy or Passionate when someone you care for is… well-" She didn't seem eager to continue. "It doesn't matter. He'll get better. I know he will. We'll see to that."

Temperance smiled in agreement. "We've been meditating to lend you what power we can. It isn't much, but we've pulled out a lot of stops last minute. Sorry we couldn't help more."

Suffering nodded reluctantly, her lower set of eyes looking down while her upper set glanced over at the incapacitated trio of crying emoticlones.

Raven nodded her thanks, glad that some part of her had an explanation for her sudden boughts of recent power. She raised an understanding eyebrow before turning toward the brawling trio. "And them?"

"Rude said-" Brave started.

"Beast Boy's gonna die!" Rude called out in her hoarse monotone, stepping away as Envy ran into Rage.

" _I'll kill you, you little shit_!" Rage shoving Envy away, a lava spurt suddenly spouting in response to her wrath. " _The only one dying is your sorry ass_!"

"That," Brave spat in affirmation. "Rage got pissed and decked Rude, and Envy joined because, and I quote, 'Death is a cold bitch, and she can't have him'."

"Snitch," Envy muttered, moving back to her feet with a touch of pink to her cheeks.

"Death is just attractive, pleasant, and perky. Things we tend not to think highly about ourselves. That doesn't make her a bi-" Rude started.

Black barbed chains shot from the ground, impaling into and lifting Rude clean off the ground before Rage could swing her fist. Where blood should have poured from the wounds, a dark swirling void enshrouded the chains. The Conspiracy of Ravens turned, glancing at the suspended emotion with shock, before turning to their maker.

Raven was angry. For the second time that day, she was proud of her Rage. She cast out a hand, and the chains elongated, propelling Rude toward her until they stood mere inches apart.

"He… will… not… die," Raven seethed, four red eyes blaring to life as her hand slowly found purchase around Rude's neck. Almost reflexively, she began to squeeze.

She grew, the chains elongating as they were lifted higher. Spears of dark energy surrounded the orange clad emotion, aiming pointedly at her vital organs, and incomplete shadowy apparitions began to take form around them, dancing like ghosts.

" _If you ever say that again, I will personally end you myself!_ " Raven Raged, her voice fading into a demonic tone. " _Nothing will happen to him, because you are gonna cut the shit, and give me every ounce of your power available. And you are gonna like it! Any questions?_ "

Rude's eyes were wide, starring at Raven with a contradictory mixture of her normal demon-may-care attitude, and fear. Her mouth dry, she tried to swallow, instead releasing an audible gulp.

" _Good_ ," Raven hissed, slowly returning to her normal size. Her grip didn't loosen from her throat, irritated that even a minute part of her could think like that; that she could think that he would-

' _He's not going to die_ ,' she thought insistently.

"Um, I know I can't be choked to death," Rude remarked, her voice gravelly, "you know: being a figment of your reality, and not needing to breathe. But that still hurts. Could you…?" She gestured absently to the hand around her throat.

"Sure," Raven said distantly, not daring to look at any of her emotions as the chains retreated into the ground, and her top two eyes closed. She glanced at the ashy ground, absently kicking a rock. "Any ideas on how to help him?"

"Contingency Three," Brave offered hastily, trying to dispel the weight of fear that was settling on the flock.

"You want me to make a deal with the Devil?" Raven asked. "Is it even that time of the century yet?"

"No, not that it matters since we can just open a portal to Hell or Los Angeles," Knowledge stated, barely glancing up from her books. "Besides I'd rather not owe Morningstar a favor. There's no telling what he'll ask for, and a blank check from a half-demon is…." She left the rest unsaid as she pushed up her glasses pointedly, the rest of the emoticlones mulling over her words. "Needless to say, I'd rather that remain among our final options."

"Other ideas?" Raven asked.

"Demonic powers?" Rage winced aloud, clearly not liking her own suggestion.

"Angelic powers?" Happy chimed in, jumping up from the cry-circle emotions.

" _No_ , and _No_ ," she rejected. "The fewer supernatural beings involved the better. Soul bargaining and contracts take too long to read thoroughly, no matter which side you decide to choose. There would be too many loopholes to sort through."

"But a standard healing isn't going to help," Timid sniffled, rubbing the tears from her red-rimmed eyes. "We tried, and it exhausted us."

"We were already exhausted," Rude pointed out. "We only rawed our emotions… what? Three times for him? _And_ healed him twice. I swear, where would that dullard be without us?"

Raven sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. She was no closer to a solid answer than she ever was. She didn't seem to have a clue on how to help Beast Boy.

"Anyone else?" she asked, not sure what else could be done.

"You could always knock foreheads with him again," Passion answered suggestively, her tears gone in an instant, as though they had never been there. "That seemed to help."

Raven looked up suddenly, her pale cheeks now a deep flush of red, and four eyes glancing angrily at the emotion.

"Awwww!" Happy exclaimed. "Rae, you're so cute with 'six' eyes!"

"Flooding him with Hope is only a temporary fix," Knowledge pointed out, chuckling lightly to herself at Raven's expense. "It may be part of a long-term solution though."

"What… if we… create a…," Timid started, sputtering over her words. She tried for several seconds, but whenever she seemed to have it, it lost itself on her tongue. She squealed quietly in frustration.

"It's okay, speak up," Brave encouraged, beating a less tolerable Rage and Envy to the punch. There was still no response.

Swiftly floating over, Rage flicked her on the forehead, the snap echoing across the ashy world.

"…A SYMBIOTIC HEALING TRANCE!" she shot out. All eyes turned toward her in surprise, the reclusive emotion whimpering in fear as she enveloped herself in her cloak. "P-p-please don't stare."

"It's always the quiet ones," Envy muttered.

Knowledge's books slammed shut as she shot up. She bolted for the grey-clad emoticlone, grabbing her by the shoulders and lifting her up.

"You're a genius!" she exclaimed, quickly kissing both of Timid's cheeks, and just as quickly dropping her. "I'll get a shopping list!"

And with that, she vanished in a portal, her dark energy encased books following close behind as she went to gather the ingredient list for the spell.

"That might actually work," Raven thought aloud, noting Knowledge had jumped on it without her consent. "It's older magic, but viable. It contains plenty of risk, but with what little time we might have, it is the most direct spell to cast. But what about his emotional state? Any ideas how we heal that?"

"Knock your fore-hm hm hmhm," Rude said, a black band of energy now wrapped around her mouth. "Hmmm!"

"Besides Rude, and besides that."

"Soul Tuning," Temperance said, still in her meditative pose. "Couple it with a gentle Chakra Balance, and he'll be centered in no time."

"This is Beast Boy we're talking about," Happy smiled. "If he isn't operating under one emotional extreme, he's in another. He's so bipolar, it's cute."

"Soul Tuning is a solid foundation," Rage growled. "But his chakra would destabilize as soon as we balanced it."

"Maybe we can… help him through his… emotions?" Timid offered, her voice barely a whisper after her outburst. "Personally."

"I volunteer for the 'Walk Down Memory Lane'," Passion squealed, her arm waving enthusiastically.

"You want me to violate his privacy and enter his memories, so I can psychologically coach him through his issues?" Raven asked, her eyebrow raising in suspicion.

"Technically, we are you, so _you_ want to violate his privacy," Brave snickered. "I'll admit, I'm just as curious. Might be an adventure."

"No," Raven chided, waving off their attempts.

"Why not?!" Passion whined. "You already saw Robin's memories, and he doesn't even know that we know a lot about him. I mean, his name is 'Dick' for crying out loud. We could do the same with Beast Boy."

"And that created a mental link to _my_ head that he _does_ know about," Raven stated, as if her emoticlones weren't already aware. "Last thing I want is Beast Boy of all people knowing what I'm feeling, when I'm feeling it."

"Or do you?" Hope said, her meditation levitating over until she was a couple feet from Raven. She stared eye to eye with her maker, smiling kindly as she waited for a response.

"What do you mean?"

" _Denile_ ," Envy coughed under her breath, covering her mouth as Raven shot her a glare. "Sorry, something about a green-eyed frog in my throat."

"Mmhmm," Rude nodded nasally.

Hope pointed to her own chakra, then pointed to Raven's. "We already violated his privacy by pulling him out of his despair. We dug into the deepest recesses of his emotional being without permission. The only thing we don't know is 'Why is it there?'

"You're already bound through me." The blue-clad emotion's cloak billowed windlessly as her smile brightened. "Both of you exchanged each other's hopes, even if you don't know what fuels it."

"Besides," Passion interrupted, her lips pursing and her index fingers fiddling nervously with each other, "we don't know a lot about him. I'm curious."

"I-I'll think about it," Raven stated, not leaving Hope's gaze. "But I want to avoid creating a mental link if at all possible."

Hope floated by, a hand resting on Raven's shoulder. "Don't think too long. His life could be in our hands, mental link or not. And don't worry about your power acting up for a while, I'll help keep the others in line until you can meditate properly."

" _We_ will," Temperance stated boldly.

Raven nodded, gently reigning in the numerous emotions that were once again bubbling up. She didn't like how quickly she was letting her emotions out. She closed her eyes, breathing through her solar plexus, and up through her chest. She held it for a couple seconds before releasing it slowly. Her eyes opened.

The volcanic background had faded, now Nothing. An empty, and peaceful void. No emoticlones, and none of their self-imposed realms.

"Feeling better?" Temperance asked, still floating silently, Suffering now gone from her lap.

"Much," she answered, her brow furrowing in deeper thought. "Is this the right choice? I know what we… I can do to help him, but I-I'm scared. And not just about the possibility of a link."

"You're worried whether or not you will save him," Temperance stated knowingly, her legs dropping from her stance until she landed solidly on Nothing. "About whether or not his body will reject your attempts to help him."

Gently, she pulled Raven into a gentle hug, the Empath burying her face into the emotion's shoulder. "It's not your burden alone to bare, dear. We'll save him, just have faith."

"Is faith really all that Wise?" Raven asked with her infamous snark to her tone. "The belief in a result yet to be seen."

"Doubt is defined by belief in an unseen result as well," Temperance replied kindly. "Do you doubt you'll save him?"

Raven pushed away, feeling awkward. Physical contact from her emotion was "different" than with other people, but it still sent mild seizes up her back. 'One step at a time.'

"No. I just… I've never tried healing someone like this," she responded, rubbing her arm nervously. "I'm attempting the heal him physically and emotionally in one session, and few magic users have even conceived doing so, much less attempted. This is uncharted territory, and not something I can repair if I mess up."

"Then as the embodiment of your self-control and wisdom," Temperance stated, drawing Raven's attention, "you are full of Hope. But hope without action stagnates, slowly becomes Bitter at the people and the world around it. And if allowed to fester, chokes off any dreams and desires that remain."

"Who said that?" Raven asked, her mind baffled by the statement.

"You," Temperance smiled.

"Don't worry about whether or not you will succeed. Just bring your faith, your hope, and your care for him," Temperance stated, slowly fading away. "Let the spell do the hard work, while we look after him.

" _And_ do your best. There isn't a single part of you that wishes for your friend to die. Not even Rude wishes her inconsiderate comments to come to fruition. We'll help however we can. Besides, what kind of life would we have if we were never graced with his dopey smile again? If for nothing else, that is what _I_ want to see again."

* * *

 **A/N:** Chapter 10 is out! Sorry again for the wait. All these ideas rushing through my head, Ya Can't Stop Me Now! I'm getting so excited for the approaching grand finale, turned launch for a sequel. *Thumbs up to my good readers* Please keep making me a better writer for myself and for you guys.

Forever again, if there is anything that needs edited, or is connecting in a weird way for you guys, let me know and I'll try to clean up the text. I do accept grammar and spelling errors too (PM these if possible, and I'll add them to my next Hard Edit)

As always (and I'll just keep posting this because its true), keep posting your constructive criticisms, as they will help me know what to look for in my future writings, and for the days I decide to do a hard edit. I look forward to growing as a writer for you guys and myself

 _Tamaranian Translations (Original Translation)_ **:**

 _None this week!_

(Review Response disclaimer: I ramble sometimes. That's just me being excited. If I don't ramble, I'm still excited, just calm. Also, I have a "different" sense of humor. I swear it's not you, it's completely and utterly me.)

And now for the new _Reviews Responses_ :

\- FF8cerberus: Hmm. You're right, this is never explained in the series. *Cry of outrage* One could use their "link" as an excuse, but it's a cheap excuse at that. I'll have to explore this thoroughly. A half-assed excuse like that won't cut it for me. I'll see what I can do. Warning: I may save this for a later conversation. Probably during the second arc

I felt that worrying more about his condition than his actions toward Adonis was something Raven would do. She never struck me as someone who worried about what might have been, rather someone who focuses on what is. I hope I met her character with sincerity. For Cyborg not mentioning it, I felt his big brother approach was most appropriate, even if it meant concealing the truth as he saw it.

Help me understand if my response is confusing. I answered based on my interpretation of your Review.

\- Junior VB: Spoilers!

\- wigglewolf27: *blushes profusely, while scratching the back of his head* Well...thank you, for the whole Review. There are too many Spoilers! for me to write in response to label them *wink*, so just keep reading, 'kay.

Personally, I love writing Starfire's character. It's so free. There's no roundabout or dynamic way to write her. Her personality is as straight forward as one can get. It's the sheer honesty and innocence in her character that makes her so wonderful to write about. It's almost liberating IRL.

Raven's quarreling with her emotions over her feelings for Beast Boy? I hadn't noticed. I can't remember what inspired Temperance and Suffering, but the more and more I envision them, the more and more they are at home in my vision of Raven's mind. I hope this chapter captured at least a little of that.

I'll do my best to live up to the standard you have suddenly dropped in my lap *currently with his own Suffering, wondering how he's supposed to live up to such compliments* Until next time.

*End of Review Response

Really excited for Chapter 11. I've started it, and I should have it posted by next week. There are still a few mellower chapters left before things get more interesting, so hang in there readers

Love ya guys (I'm totally being sappy right now)

* * *

Final Edit 10-14-2018


	12. Chapter 11

Chapter 11:

* * *

 **A/N:** Another week, another work grind, another lovely chapter.

Almost three months! Nothing has changed with Gillroy, he still insists that he needs a vacation. Okay, all honesty, I'm almost running on empty when it comes to these nonsensical rants I have. *Sigh*

We're at thirty-four Reviews, forty-one Favorites, forty-eight Followers, and over five-thousand views ("Oooooh!"). (P.S. I use this particular note as a kind of mile stone for myself). Milestones... so many milestones... so... close.

Don't forget to post any QCC so I can post responses (Note to audience, the longer the QCC, the longer I'm compelled to make my response. Do with that what you will)

Okay, so I said a few chapters ago that there would be about seventeen chapters to this story. Well, I have to up it a bit. My outlines ended up too large to fit into just seventeen chapters, so I have to break it down a little more. Heheh, whoops. I can't guarantee a number of chapters, but it's looking like it's over twenty. To top it off, I've begun outlining the next story. If you guys have any villains you'd like to see, please feel free to mention them (I may have to unfreeze a few in glorious Deus Ex Machina... or just come up with a really good reason). One is a "must have" but still I'm pretty flexible with the others at this point.

Disclaimer: Okay. So to gain ownership of Teen Titans we need: a goat, lots of chalk, a turkey wishbone, someone who can play the trumpet, and another guy who can do this *spell casting piano fingers*. Now where is that incantation and my pointy hat?

Without further adieu. *Que the dimming of the lights*

* * *

Falling Apart:

Chapter 11-

Raven found herself laying awkwardly on her bed, wide-eyed and alert. Her face felt wet, but she didn't wipe at it, for fear she would confirm the worst. She truly didn't want to know if she had been crying.

Almost reflexively, she glanced over at the small raven-shaped clock on her nightstand. It ticked by, her eyes gently following the swinging pendulum, almost hoping the lull would drag her back into rest. Instead her eyes were pulled back to the clock hands.

'Thirteen minutes,' she thought hazily, sniffling gently, 'I was asleep for thirteen minutes.'

She felt terrible, a groggy groan exiting her lips as she sat up. The hood of her cloak stuck to the back of her neck, feeling the same wet and cold as her face. She brushed it off, pulling her hair out of the neck of her cloak, and letting it fall to her shoulders.

'I need tea,' she thought instantly, pushing up off her bed. 'I need all the strength I can get before I attempt anymore magic.'

Absently she felt Knowledge deposit a list of varies ingredients to the forefront of her mind, the whole preparation of the Symbiotic Healing Trance. Procurement, measurements, concentrations, setup, incantation, gestures, etcetera. Luckily, she had collected the ingredients passively over the course of her heroic career. And now she was glad she had; half of it was out-of-season and out-of-country otherwise. Some even requiring a little wrinkle in time-space to obtain. And those kinds of spells would only take longer to procure and cast.

Her door hissed behind her as she left, walking pointedly toward the Common's. It was too quiet in the Tower, the air static with silence. Enough so, that she missed the arguments and banter normally provided by Cyborg and Beast Boy; whether it was over the murder and consumption of innocent meat in massacred fashion, or the mind-numbing droll that was their blaring videogames...and the bantering insults that accompanied it.

'Azar, I must be desperate if that's what I miss.'

She stopped quite suddenly, her ensuing thoughts interrupted by a cause for alarm. The hall leading to the Common's was undisturbed, except for one large patch. The wall to her right, as well as it's conjoining ceiling and floor, were peppered with holes, as if some one had taken a shotgun to that side of the hall. The sight was so alarming, it was a wonder no one had seen it before hand.

"What in Azarath?" she wondered, approaching cautiously. She kept her eyes sharp as she placed a hand to the wall, tracing her fingers over the infrastructural wounds.

 _Beast Boy keels over, clutching his eye- powerful scents, sights, and sounds- he steadies himself to the wall- Pathetic. Fool. Worthless.- his arm, shifting faster than he could steady it, trying to be every form at once- so numb, yet so much pain-_

 _"STOOOP IIIIT!"_

Raven felt her knees hit the floor as an erupting sensation shot through her left arm. It felt as though her bones were splintering, exploding like shrapnel, tearing through her muscle and skin. Instinctively her free hand grasped it. Nothing had changed. Her arm was whole. She took in a breath she didn't know she had been holding, trickling beads of cold sweat forming on her neck.

Her stomach rolled, and she threw a hand to her mouth in reflex, expecting to empty what little contents there may have been in her stomach. Instead, she only stifled a weak sob. Her eyes clenched, trying to expunge all the turbulent emotions that weren't her own.

'I'm so sorry Garfield,' she thought, stemming off any tears she might shed. There was so much residual thought energy, it was no wonder she had collapsed the first time because of it. Even now, it permeated the damaged walls like an infected sore; it permeated her through her chakra, clouding her mind like a fog.

She inhaled deeply. She exhaled deeply. ' _Azarath Metrion Zinthos_.' She stood, brushing away the stray thoughts and feelings that would otherwise inhibit her ability to heal and perform magic, and she stepped past it.

'I'll remove it later,' she thought passively, moving a little faster to avoid the temptation to linger around and dispel the crippling emotional energy.

She half-sighed as soon as the Common doors shut behind her, the mechanism casting a steel barrier between her and the infected wall. She held in a sigh of relief, gently enveloping herself in the room to draw her mind elsewhere.

It had changed so much since that morning. The sunless windows were dark with near black thunder clouds, rain torrents pattering rapidly against windows, and the sound of a makeshift snare drum smacking against the activated Breach doors that now covered the windows Raven had shattered. The glass still laid on the floor, littered around the broom, garbage can, and half-filled dust pan like crystalline caltrops.

The table was still littered with a forgotten breakfast, namely Cyborg's syrup stuck plate. To Raven's amusement, Starfire's fast sleeping _Bumgorf_ lay sacrificial-style on the plate, it's underside exposed and mouth dripping guiltily with whatever contents had remained on it's makeshift bed.

She walked over, casting a deadpan eye over the "meal" as it snored between chittered exhales. Appraising it once, she let slip a small smile, gently rubbing the maggot creature's exposed sticky belly.

"Hey Silkie," she cooed softly, keeping her voice exceptionally low. "Where've you been?"

The mutant worm chittered happily, it's multitude of little legs wiggling in response as it's mandibles quivered. It's little larval tail wagged gently, soundly asleep, but enjoying the attention none-the-less

"…no, I see it," a voice said, startling Raven. Her head bolted for the couch, revealing Robin, complete with his dishevelled gelled hair, staring intently at the TV screen, a flip-phone from the Dark Ages to his ear.

Raven wondered how she missed that, but when she considered how often she actually focused on the entertainment area when she walked into the Common's, she let it slide. She could probably ignore a tornado if it sat on the couch, screaming at the screen because some "noob" (whatever that was) stole it's kill.

However, her curiosity now peeked, she glanced at the TV screen, noting one of the frequented news channels. Channel Six News by the looks of it. The business-dressed short-haired blonde anchorwoman was paused, and an incoherently blurry picture plastered just to her left. Raven's eyes furrowed intently as she glanced at the headline just underneath.

'LOCAL HERO'S RAMPAGE?' she seethed.

"News is hauling all the way to Gotham, huh?" Robin asked rhetorically, his free hand rubbing his chin. "I can't say I appreciate their assumption, but I _did_ refuse an interview. … No, we'll be alright. I'll talk to Commissioner Stevens, see how to best handle the Press. … And please don't tell Him I called. … I know, but He'll just scowl like He always does."

Robin's feature's stiffened suddenly before going taunt. He sighed, gently rubbing his brow. "I know what _I_ did wrong, but if I apologize, He'll just tell me everything I already know. 'Be better.' 'You're the leader, you can't afford mistakes.' Etcetera, etcetera. But trying to get Him to listen to my point of view is like beating my _Grobpk_ against a wall." He smiled suddenly as he realized his unconscious usage of the Tamaranian word.

He blushed suddenly as he received a response from the other end of the line. "No, that wasn't an impromptu swear, and yeah, she's been a good influence on me. And she'd really like to meet the Clan…." Robin frowned as a seemingly recurring thought hit him. "…But I don't want Him over-analyzing her, or our relationship. She'll treat Him well no matter what because that's the way she is, I just wish I could expect the same from Him."

Raven felt the need to shrink back, sensing as though she were suddenly privy to information that wasn't hers to hear. Before she could back away though, Robin raised his hand just above his head and beckoned forward. She stopped… waiting, but he made no other motion.

"Thanks," he continued, as if nothing had happened. "I appreciate it Alfred... mmhmm, let me know what the data turns up. We'll keep looking on our end… alright, take care. Bye."

Robin pulled the phone away, pressing a small red button. He slumped in the seat for a moment before looking over the back of the couch.

"Hey, Raven," he said with a tired wave.

"Anyone we know?" she asked, unsure of how to respond when she was eavesdropping. She chose not to meet his eyes, suddenly finding the book and forgotten tea she had left on the coffee table since that morning interesting. The dark liquid looked unappetizing without wisps of steam trickling off the surface.

"Probably not," he answered, before giving one of his sincere side grins, "but you'd only be the better for knowing him."

"So, um… how long did you know I was here," she asked, moving to her original task. She pulled out a hot water kettle, filled it at the sink, and set it up on the stove.

"I heard the doors," he answered, pointing back with his thumb. "And you talking to Silkie."

"Bat ears, much?" She manually pulled down her mug and mortar, followed by a few ingredients and a pestle.

Frowning at her comment, but noting her otherwise indifferent attitude, didn't think anything of it. "No, it's just… quieter than normal."

Raven nodded absently, almost autonomously began measuring out a small number of herbs and spices into the mortar, all committed to memory.

'A touch of sage and thyme, coupled with a sprig of lemongrass and fireweed, a dash of phoenix ash and powdered kraken spur, de-illuminated essence of a shadow walker, a drop of water the River Phlegethon in Hades, and not least, a pinch of ginger. And a single leaf of spearmint to make it go down easier.'

It wasn't her standard tea by a long shot. More like a complex potion mix, but it would temporarily boost her magic potency where it would burn standard magic casters from the inside out as their magic ate them alive, like acid eating through the stomach.

'The perks of being half demon,' she thought sarcastically, the scent of the mixed ingredients creating a gentle swelling feeling in her chest.

"So what's going on with the news?" she asked, gently grinding the ingredients in the mortar with the pestle. She paused for a moment when she sensed his reluctance.

"It would be easier if you watched," he stated, his game-tone drawing her attention to his game-face, and finally to the TV.

With the click of the remote, Robin homed in on the screen. Raven followed suit, her hands grinding the ingredients down of their own accord.

" _…this video was taken just this morning by an unnamed citizen in hiding during another villainous rampage. This source claims that while evacuations were over and done, he stayed behind, risking life and limb to capture this on his mobile device. Here's what he has for_ us _,_ " _the anchorwoman stated_.

 _The video instantly cut to full size, showing a birds-eye view of the street, and a familiar scene presented. Raven slowly approaching a bulbous Beast Boy as the mass on his back writhed angrily with the heads of the 'legion'_ _._

As Raven watched, the scene played out almost reflexively in her mind.

" _I-it looks like, the Teen Titans are fighting, A-Adonis_ ," _the mobile devices owner stated from behind the camera, his hands shaky, but the quality of his video quickly sharpening as he took a breath to steady himself._ " _It's been a few years since his last appearance. U-um. God, I wish I had caught the last several minutes of this. Some seriously *beep*ed *beep* went down. Adonis pulled some serious *beep*. I mean, the guy is a serious -oh!_ "

 _A strange fist emerged from the mass, smashing between Raven and Adonis before the entire mass collapsed back into Beast Boy's body, and the 'amalgam' ripped out in return. The beast's roar caused the phone's owner to instinctively shake. A display of dominance and-_

" _Ohhhh *beep*!" the camera-wielder exclaimed._

 _Beast Boy attacked, proceeding with a short one-sided battle that ended with yet another familiar scene: Beast Boy pounding Adonis' head into the ground, Raven pinning down the changeling with her half-functioning lamposts, and the Titans encasing him in the Dome._

" _Ohmygod," the owner huffed, his breath quick from… Fear? Excitement? It was any 'unbiased' viewer's guess._

 _The video paused, scrolling back to the anchorwoman._

 _"Hospital records show that serial-villain Adonis sustained heavy injuries during the fight, that, while not life-threatening, left him in serious condition, including several broken bones and fractures._

 _"Jump City PD have also refused comment for the local hero, known publicly as 'Beast Boy', and his actions. With Commissioner Stevens stating that, 'While the Titan's methods were extreme, it brought down a villain that had eluded capture for over two years'. He further explained that, 'although the story seems cut-and-dry, even they are asking the Titans for some answers, since they had to publicly restrain him.'_

'Like Hells it was public,' Raven seethed. 'That entire section of the city was evacuated.

'Except for one person with camera in their phone,' she added as a literal after-thought.

 _"To further wrestling debate, the Teen Titan's leader, Robin, has refused comment as to his teammate's actions or his own whereabouts during the videos recording, leading some speculation as to the Boy Wonder's handling of his team, and into the gravity or frequency of these outbursts. Is this a reoccurring incident? Is Jump City's resident shapeshifter a threat, or does he still hold true to his title of 'Hero'?_

" _Up next, we'll have some guest speaker here to discuss_ _i_ _-_."

The TV turned off as Robin clicked the remote, and it fell dark and silent.

"It's like that for the rest of the clip: all speculation, no facts, and some 'expert' opinions," he stated, turning back to her.

"The hospital records were either leaked or they were throwing dust to the wind, and most people will ignore the accusations," he stated, his mask eyes furrowing, and his lips pursed. "But we're still bound to get a lot of heat for this. To be honest, I hadn't expected anything like this when Cyborg said it would take more than a video call to explain. Now… I think I see why. Care to pick up where he left off?"

Raven found the pestle clenched in her hands, whispering her mantra so rapidly, it may have been one continuous word. If she had been raised with just a smidge more animosity for being part demon, she would have annihilated the Channel Six News station, and maybe the block around it. Nothing would grow there _ever_ again.

"Adonis… grabbed me," Raven stated with a deep breath, quickly pouring the mixed concoction into a tea strainer, and placed it over her mug. "Inappropriately. That's why Beast Boy beat him. Honestly, it could have been any one of us, but Garfield got to him first. If it wasn't him, I'm pretty sure Starfire would have shown him a traditional Tamaranian headbutt."

"Adonis' injuries?" Robin asked, clearly in Detective Mode, his voice passive and serious, but a tick striking his brow when Adonis's actions were brought up.

"A lot more extensive, but Cyborg thinks most of it was from his new suit," she answered, "like it was over-straining his body."

Robin nodded, his face easing… but only slightly. "It's fine Raven. Whatever else I need to know, I'll get from the city cameras and the paperwork that is bound to come in." He smiled weakly at their shared humor. "I've told the Commissioner everything I know, including Beast Boy's current condition. He's agreed to hold off pressing the issue, but he may want to talk with Beast Boy on his own once he's recovered."

"He _isn't_ going anywhere near _any_ police station. You know how he feels about the thought of being arrested," Raven glared pointedly, her second set of eyes quivering. "And how can he? He's unconscious and probably fighting for his life."

"He won't be arrested," Robin reassured, "just questioned. And I'm aware of his condition. I said _when_ he recovers."

"He might not see it that way," she rebutted, her monotone dripping dangerously back in.

"Fair enough," Robin conceded. "I'll ask the Commissioner if we can meet here. But he's free to bring all the force he needs to feel safe. Deal?"

Raven didn't stop her long-term stare at the 'Boy Wonder'. "Beast Boy is afflicted with something completely unknown as far as we know, and you're worried about a police-date."

Her water kettle began to steam suddenly as a black aura encased it, the vapor liquid contained and pressurizing before she forcefully calmed herself.

"I _am_ worried about him Raven," Robin stated simply, "but I also have to worry about the effects this is going to have on the public, on the city, and on the team. Unless we can skip the wait-time on the results from Cyborg and my contacts, we don't have a connecting lead."

"On that note," Raven stated, suddenly aware of a pressing issue in her mind, "since the media is doing it, I want to know why _you've_ been targeting Beast Boy?"

"Targeting?" He looked completely and utterly confused.

"I believe Starfire made a mention of it," she stated, her cloak billowing windlessly, a touch of repressed anger slipping into it's folds.

His eyes narrowed with clarity, as he leaned forward in his seat, his hands clasping together as he rested his chin on his enclosed fingers. "Why I supported you in light of your potential destruction of the world, and why I threatened Beast Boy when he became primal and hurt you." It was a matter of statement, not a question.

"You mean when you _thought_ he hurt me?" she snapped. She quickly pulled her anger back. She was supposed to be the civilized, cool-headed one of the Teen Titans. 'Maybe it was the exposure to Beast Boy's pain,' she thought, thinking about the emotion-infected wall.

He raised an eyebrow in interest, but didn't seem to let it bother him. "Right. If I'm honest, I don't know. Maybe it was because I thought he had hurt one of my teammates, my family. Maybe it was because one of my team hurt another of my team.

"I do what I think is right in the moment I'm given a choice. If Beast Boy had been the one to hurt you, I would have stood by my word. I can't abide anyone on my team hurting others on my team. But I had full confidence in your ability to overcome the Prophecy. And you did."

"No," she said with a shake of her head. "I didn't. I played right into the Prophecy's book. The only reason it all worked out in the End is because thankfully the Prophecy had one very large loop-hole: It didn't disclose how it was supposed to end. It only mentioned Trigon's intentions, not if he would win or not. The Prophecy was fulfilled, just not in a way anyone dared to anticipate. We may have prevented his siege, but I still endangered Earth, and every creature in this dimension."

"Raven, you can't blame yourself for that. That was Trigon trying to influence you."

"And Beast Boy? Are you going to blame everything on him? Or are you going to say, 'Maybe it was the lab chemicals'? Honestly, how much do you actually know about him? How much do any of us know really?" she asked pointedly, her eyes tearing into him without the need to resort to her second set.

Robin looked at her intently. "Is something going on Raven? You aren't normally this... protective of him."

She felt her emotions clawing out of her throat like a fanged serpent pushing out her mouth, it's forked tongue holding Brave and Rage in synchronized tandem. "Well maybe it's about time one of us did protect him, since no one ever thinks that he needs it. Smile's like his aren't bought cheaply."

Robin looked shell-shocked, like she had just backhanded him, which she supposed she had... emotionally anyway. "Raven, I-"

"He's your family too Robin," she interrupted calmly. "No connection we have excuses your actions toward him. I'm glad everything ultimately worked out with the Prophecy, and I appreciate you coming to save me, even though the world was already gone. But Beast Boy couldn't help the animal that awoke within him. Maybe you should spend less time worrying about how connected we are, and more time thinking about how you can connect with Garfield."

"That _was_ my hope," Robin said, still in his thoughtful position. "I don't excuse my actions Raven, they were my choices to make. I regret a few of them, and I know I've all but burned my bridges with Beast Boy, but I do want to make it up to him... and you. I may not regret all the decisions you want me to, but I do understand that I can't expect me of him. He isn't me."

She nodded, looking at the faint wisps of vapor coming from her kettle. "It's a start."

Robin sighed. "You're not going to let this go, are you?"

"If you insist on being fair, then as leader, it is your obligation to put any personal feelings aside when you deal with situations like this," she stated. "So no. I'll remind you about it if you ever slip up." Her eyes glowed pointedly, but were otherwise non-threatening.

"Yeah, thanks," he said, as humored by her threat as he was sobered by it. Very slowly, the smile faded from his face, his masked eyes shifting slightly as if thoughts visibly danced across his vision.

His persisting silence drew her attention like a fly to honey. "Robin, what is it?"

"Increased aggression, abnormal transformations… it's all connected," Robin wondered aloud, his hands rubbing together in concentration. "Who was the first person we were in contact with just before Beast Boy's condition started?"

"Doctor Light, he was robbing another bank yesterday," Raven stated like it was obvious.

"No, after that. We fought a recently escaped Control Freak. Mere moments into the fight, Beast Boy single-handedly subdues him with signs of further violence persisting."

Raven's eyes widened in realization of Robin's thought path. "You think Control Freak did this? That seems a bit far-fetched. And this is Control Freak we're talking about. He practically owns far-fetched."

"I don't think it was him," Robin amended, "but we can't leave out the possibility, however unlikely. Fortunately for us, he's still in the Detention Center."

He stood up, a present goal in mind, no matter how little it might pan out. "You might want to come too. Investigative accountability and all. Plus, I think he's had some time to simmer over since his last conversation with Beast Boy."

Raven nodded, pouring hot water over her custom blend of tea, watching the fume auras glow. The liquid darked through the strainer, an inaudible roar reverberating through the cup. The blend was just right.

Bringing her mug along, Robin was half way to the doors when they opened. Starfire walked in, seemingly preoccupied with her thoughts as she happily glanced up.

"Friends!" she called excitedly. "Would you care to assist me in-"

Robin was right in front of her in an instant, planting a solid kiss on her lips before she could get another word out. "I'm stealing Raven to interrogate Control Freak, can I call a rain check?"

Raven had to throw up her barriers to shield herself from the mental bombardment of happiness and content confusion that exploded off of Starfire.

"Eeeep!" Starfire responded, putting a hand to her mouth and looking to the side to hide her embarrassment at her outburst. "I shall take the check of rains into consideration under a single condition…."

Robin raised an inquiring brow, though his grin was borderline stupid looking. "And what would that be?"

Raven only saw Starfire latch her mouth on to Robin's before she turned away. 'Azar! Get a room!' Thankfully, they were keeping it relatively quiet, even if it felt like her head might explode.

"Now, _you_ may make it up to _me_ ," Starfire teased, stepping sideways to let Robin pass.

"Uh-huh," he nodded, his chest swelling a little as he walked onward.

As Raven passed, she stared at Starfire. "Really? Was that necessary?"

"His desire for the continuation of the 'kisses of France' makes him most efficient when it comes to his work," Starfire answered unashamed. "You will need such efficiency soon."

Raven just shook her head, following after the Titans love-smitten leader. "Males."

Starfire watched the door for a moment before she turned back to her present task. She stopped fast suddenly, utterly confused.

"What in _Glob'tharp_ am I doing here again?" she furrowed aloud, her lips pursed in agitation.

"Perhaps if I do the retracing of steps, I shall remember."

* * *

 **A/N:** Chapter 11 is here!

Forever again, if there is anything that needs edited, or is connecting in a weird way for you guys, let me know and I'll try to clean up the text. I do accept grammar and spelling errors too (PM these if possible, and I'll add them to my next Hard Edit)

As always (and I'll just keep posting this because its true), keep posting your constructive criticisms, as they will help me know what to look for in my future writings, and for the days I decide to do a hard edit. I look forward to growing as a writer for you guys and myself

 _Tamaranian Translations (Original Translation)_ **:**

 _None this week!_

(Review Response disclaimer: I ramble sometimes. That's just me being excited. If I don't ramble, I'm still excited, just calm. Also, I have a "different" sense of humor. I swear it's not you, it's completely and utterly me.)

And now for the new _Reviews Responses_ :

\- FF8cerberus: Hmm. Punctual timing as usual cerberus. Okay, so my thoughts are in-depth, and I generally don't explain things because I expect people to read my mind or see things the way I do (sorry), but I will try to be brief. So Raven's "linking" with Robin has drawn up a lot of grief for me, but I will try to explain it from my point of view.

Raven is a character that has had little to no actual relationships outside of the Teen Titans (and maybe some honorary Titans), so as far as any magic that could potentially "link" her with someone, chances are that this was news to her. She wasn't supposed to build anything that could potentially escalated any form of emotional response (like friendships), as per the will of her late mentor, Azar. Plus, no other Azarathian possessed or understood the full scope of Raven's powers; so theoretically (please bare with me), her attempting to enter Robin's mind using her _Soul-Self_ would have been something she hadn't done before (who else would she have done that with? All other instances of her 'mind-reading' has been when she could make physical contact with someone, not involving her Soul entering them) (P.S. I don't count the times with Plasmus, as these were incredibly brief, and were only used to render the inner-human unconscious, not read his mind or memories). So upon this revelation about her powers, from her point of view, I doubt her 'link' with Robin was intentional; more like a unexpected side-effect in an attempt to help him.

As for "Why Robin?", Cyborg even said that the stress on Robin's body while he was hallucinating could have killed him. There is also time-frame. Robin's condition was escalating far too rapidly for anyone to predict or contain (and to the point where he locked down the Tower in a fit of panic, _after_ breaking out of his restraints...which _was_ stupid for the student of thee all-stoic Batman...but he was hallucinating that Slade was going to kill him, so...some slack?). On that note, Raven and Robin have shared a more or less serious relationship that doesn't require them to know much of anything about the other, but is built on a mutual respect for each other (as per the episode "Go!", where Raven said they wouldn't like her if they knew anything about her; upon which Robin said that he knew enough; ergo: he didn't care what she was or where she was from, but saw she was willing to help save people). So in essence, a lack of time to save him, and not knowing the full scope of her own powers.

In contrast to Robin, Beast Boy has been relatively honest about his condition, and even though there is an enormously present threat to his life, he is currently in a stable(-ish?) condition, allowing something that wasn't available with Robin: Time, Thought, and Consideration. Also, taking into account, Raven _does_ know Beast Boy. Maybe not in a 'all secrets and mysteries spilled' kind of way, but reading back a few chapters in this story, she understands the impact he's had on her life. They _built_ a relationship (albeit, it was from arguing, with a few "moments" that were dutifully interrupted).

With that in mind, it adds a whole new definition to their relationship. Raven's not being hasty with her decision on how to treat Beast Boy. She isn't looking for another 'accident' or something 'unexpected' to happen, but she's also not above putting that aside (linking with him isn't something she wouldn't _prefer_ , but she's not above doing it. Even her emotions question her reluctance, but they understand the new gravity it would bring). On that line of thinking, I thought this was the best course of action to take.

Also, what do you mean by 'doubt his character'? She is quite aware of the masks he wears, but also has tremendous insight into his true thoughts and feelings (Empaths, am I right?), even if she doesn't understand why he feels the way he does when he feels it.

Until next time. And thanks for openly questioning the logic of my story. It gives me clarity and understanding into what readers might potentially think, and even challenges me to think objectively; the 'how's' and 'why's' and all that. I went ahead and tried answering some of my thoughts from your Chapter 10 (Chapter 9 + Prologue) Review. It may not be perfect, but all the same, let me know your thoughts on it (improvements?).

\- Junior VB: Me too. I love watching how it plays out, like a movie.

\- Eris: This is just me but... what do you mean by "interesting". I have a buddy who has about thirty-seven different ways to say "interesting", and you can tell what he means just by his tone and/or his body language. That being said, this is all typed, so I can't read into how you say it (like I said, this is just me and what my life-experience has taught me)

*End of Review Response

So, what will happen? Are there other forces at work? Or is Control Freak truly the culprit? Find out next time in Chapter 12. :D


	13. Chapter 12

Chapter 12:

* * *

 **A/N:** The week has passed by so quickly... holy moley. Where did the time go.

Almost thirteen weeks! Man, was totally having deja vu when I wrote this, like trippin' deja vu. Not cool.

We're at thirty-eight Reviews, forty-four Favorites, fifty Followers ("Milestooooone! Yeah!"), and over fifty-eight hundred views ("Woah!"). (P.S. I use this particular note as a kind of mile stone for myself). Thank you guys so much! We hit fifty followers. I know that doesn't seem like much, but I'm crying as I type this. You guys are the best!

Don't forget to post any QCC so I can post responses (Note to audience, the longer the QCC, the longer I'm compelled to make my response. Do with that what you will)

Nothing really new happening (I might copy and paste this a few times in future chapters, I don't want to get too far ahead of myself)

Disclaimer: I *sob*... don't *sob*... own *sob*... the Teen Titans. *Sobbing dude* I need a tissue.

Without further adieu. *Que the dimming of the lights*

* * *

Falling Apart:

Chapter 12-

Two floors down, in a center section of the T formation of their headquarters and home, several small interrogation rooms made up the Detention Center. This arrangement only took up a small portion of the floor space.

At the Robin's request about twenty-one months ago and Jump City City Hall's approval, after the Titans and their honorary members had defeated the Brotherhood of Evil and a reliable proposition drawn up, several of the Tower's least used floors were converted for civilian government and police use in times of crisis, including bunking and housing if need be. Even the sheer amount of emergency rations was staggering. Hence the fully operational interrogation rooms; along with a number of criminal facilities if need be. But only one in particular seemed to matter in the current potential crisis.

Through the large one-way window, the room appeared stereotypical for an interrogation room: a dark-walled room with only two chairs between a single bolted down table, the interrogatee's chair facing the one-way window glass. There was also a single light glaring down heatedly at a slumped form, laying down on the table in a slack manner.

Control Freak lay face down, his arms circled protectively around his face, as if trying to block out the light as he tried to catch a couple zzz's. His hands were cuffed together, bound by another set of cuffs to a metal loop on the table, making his position all the more awkward. Overall, he looked exactly like he had spent almost a full day in there. Probably smelled like it too, baking under the interrogation light as he was.

"Afternoon, almost Evening, Control Freak," Robin greeted listlessly, followed behind by Raven.

The nerd groaned something along the lines of, "Mmm, go away."

"We're here to talk," Raven stated monotonically, gently sipping on her tea. "You can either help, or-"

One of his hands shot up in a motion for stop, the hefty man lifting his head drowzily. "If this is another dream from the bowels of that typing happy sicko that calls himself an author, please come back when you're real." His head crashed back down with a _Thump!_ that made Robin cringe and Raven smirk. "I'm not in the mood. I'd rather He just tortured me with Michael Bay's Transformers. All of them. Back-to-back. Without the blessed relief of the credits."

Robin and Raven shared a confused look, before turning back to him.

"We're real," Robin assured, "last I checked anyway."

Control Freak looked back up, the sleep all but gone from his eyes in an instant. "Are you sure? I'd hate to make that same mistake again."

"Positive," Raven responded stoically.

"Here goes attempt number nine," he muttered. "Show me. Prove it."

Robin rolled his eyes. "I'm real-"

Control Freak sighed, returning to his sleeping position. "Wake me when you're not a figment of my imagina-"

A birdarang tapped his hand as Robin, gently nudged him. "There. You happy," Robin asked as he sheathed his utensil.

"Oh, thank the Gatroids of Zing'gop Six," Control Freak exasperated, his face dragging across the squeaky clean table surface in relief as his head shot up once more. "Thought you guys would never show up."

He made a move to stand before remembering that his hands were cuffed. Realizing that neither Titan was making a move to free him so he could be hauled off to prison, he just sat back down. A full minute passed between their staring and his patiently waiting.

"Well?" he demanded, looking between the two of them, somewhat confused. "I've been here for months, and now you guys are gonna show me the silent treatment? I haven't eaten anything! Did ya at least bring a sandwich? Maybe a glass of water?"

"You've been here less than twenty-four hours," Robin pointed out, his arms crossing seriously.

"Maybe on this side," Control Freak retorted. "But on the other side, it's been thirteen weeks. Worse yet, the only entertainment I've had has been cramming nothing but audience reviews, and I didn't even have the script for context."

"Enough of this," Raven hissed, her break in composure catching Control Freak's attention. "We are going to ask some questions, and you are going to answer, or I am going to send you to the liveliest pits of Hell."

Control Freak visibly paled, and his hands began to fidget nervously. "Not Jarjar Binks, I'll talk," he pleaded weakly, before muttering under his breath, "What sick bastard writes _that_ into a fanfic?"

"Good?" Raven said, looking to Robin for clarification. He only shrugged with a small head shake, just as confused as she was. Shaking it off, she took a deep breath, refocusing her calm as she took another sip of her tea. "You are going to tell us what you did to Beast Boy."

Control Freak slumped in confusion. "You mean besides piss him off for calling you a 'witch'?" He visibly cringed, glancing around as if expecting the changeling to show up out of nowhere to finish what he had started. Seeing no indications of his presence, he visibly relaxed. "I didn't do anything to him."

"You were the last person we fought before he… got sick," Raven said, now taking point in the chair directly across from Control Freak. She didn't break eye contact, even as she took another steaming sip to repress her frustration. She knew it was pointless, but it had been worth a shot.

"He's sick?" If either Titans hadn't known better, they might have thought it was concern playing across the cuffed villain's face, but villains never had such change-of-hearts... Did they? "And judging from your faces, it's bad."

Neither Robin nor Raven gave any indication as to whether or not his words rang true. Instead they waited for him to slip up, to give away information.

"And you think I did that?" he continued, waiting for them to correct him. "But that's crazy!"

"You've had multiple bombs planted around the city set to go off if the Titan's East failed your 'tests'," Robin stated. "And attempted to reroute toxic sewage to pollute the city's water supply on top of that. All in one night I might add."

"When was this?" he asked, trying to lift his hand up to his chin in thought, only for the handcuff chains to hold fast. He settled for scratching his stubble.

"Back when we were fighting the Brotherhood of Evil," Robin answered, hoping some clarity would appear on the villain's face. "There was even a giant mechanical shark."

"Oh yeah! But in all seriousness, who puts the pipes to toxic sewage next to the city's water works? That's basically begging for an accident to happen. Health & Safety should have seen that a mile away.

"But that doesn't mean I did anything to Beast Boy," he denied. "He's my nerd-in-arms. If he didn't make references to our favorite TV shows, my work would be boring. Someone who has defeated me at my own game is such a rare commodity in this world."

"That doesn't stop you from attacking innocent people," Raven rebutted, taking a mouthful of tea. "Coupled with the fact that you were the last person we fought before his symptoms showed up, I'd say that makes you the most likely suspect."

"I get that, really, 'Oh Grand Sorceress'," he mocked with some falsetto. "But honestly, I'm only a bad guy by occupation. I don't set up my tests anticipating the Teen Titans to fail. They're just meant to challenge you."

"And if we failed, and people died?" Raven demanded, her deadpan tone faltering into frustration and restrained anger.

"I read the script ahead of time," Control Freak stated reassuringly. "So I just made my plans within the confines of the authors not needing to rewrite their work. Do you know how much shit I would get for that? Plus a pay-cut! I'd lose work in other multi-verses. Who wants a sociopathic, fourth-wall breaking, pseudo-villain? Ryan Reynolds already got that job."

Raven's eyes began to glow, her top set half-opening maliciously. "I will not ask you again. _What did you do to Beast Boy?_ "

"I didn't do anything to him," he stated again, looking her over intently. His eyes widened as a trickle of the Primal Monitor seemed to whisper to him. "Oh, I see. That's what happened."

" _Well?_ " Raven growled, doing her best to hold back the wave of black energy that was demanding to pulverize him. Energy she would rather preserve if it could save Beast Boy.

Control Freak clasped his hands together, bending his head down to rest on his conjoined thumbs. "In a moment, Robin will get a message from his quote-unquote 'contacts' in Gotham. Simultaneously, Cyborg will have finished his cross-referencing and call the remaining Titans together."

"And you know this how?" Robin demanded, his palms hitting the table top swiftly. That information had absolute minimum circulation, and his call had been sent through a Haldamier Encryption, one of the strongest ciphers in the world. No one, least of all Control Freak should know that. "Tell me now, or I will do another thorough strip search. This time, I'll turn you inside out if I have to."

Control Freak's tubby cheeks clenched reflexively out of self-defence. "You both will leave once that time comes," he continued bravely, sweat formulating nervously on his back. 'Please no! Please no! SteinMon1920518 have mercy!' "Upon which I will make my escape with all due-haste.

"But before I that, please know it was never my intention to hurt anyone or anyone's feelings," he cried, watching as Robin pulled his glove on tighter, the edge coming back into place with a _Snap!_

"I'm just the fourth-wall breaking emissary of the gods that be!" he continued, practically shouting it at the ceiling as he struggled against his bonds. "That's how this whole story started! I wasn't even first pick! I didn't even want to be unfrozen!"

"Raven," Robin said, a natural octave lower, all humor gone from his face. In that moment, his old mentor would have been proud…silently proud. "Hold him still. I don't want him struggling."

"Azar," Raven huffed, sighing as two clawed hands formed out of her shadow, "I'm turning away. I don't want to see his pale butt while you work."

"NOOOOO!" he squealed. "I can get you the Writ! Please don't! You can find out what happens in it!"

Raven's power flickered, and faded suddenly, her eyes widening. "What did you say?"

"Please don't," he sobbed, pulling weakly away, his strength gone as relief took over. The tears in his eyes remained unfallen, making them sparkle pleadingly.

"No," she growled, suddenly standing. One pale hand grabbed his chin roughly, forcing him to meet her eyes. "The Writ. You mentioned the Writ."

"Raven-?" Robin started.

 _"I'm Batmaaan! I'm Batmaaan! I'm Batm-_ "

Robin shoved his hand in his pocket to silence the ringtone. His cheeks flushed furiously for the two pairs of disbelieving and inconsequentially humored eyes as he pulled the flip phone out of his pocket. Opening it, he tapped a couple buttons on the pad before he frowned.

"It's the results from my… contact," he said with a scowl, his embarrassment all but forgotten as he prepared to scroll through it.

 _Ding!_ " _Hey Rob_ ," the intercom chimed, Cyborg's voice coming from the other end. " _I just finished some tests on what's happenin' to B, and… well… you might wanna come see this._ "

"Thank that blue-eyed, unshaven bastard!" Control Freak sighed, going slack, his body trembling slightly. He suddenly sat up right in realization. "Wait a second! He's the one who set up this scene! Curse that blue-eyed, unshaven bastard!"

"We're not done with you. You're still going to tell use how you got out and what your attack has to do with Beast Boy," Raven hissed, placing a hand on Robin's shoulder. "Let's go. We can deal with him later."

Nodding his agreement, Robin gave on last glance at Control Freak before disappearing through the door, making sure that the security systems were powered to the maximum. "We'll be seeing you Control Freak." And with that, the door closed.

A moment of silence. Then two.

"Took you long enough," he complained, doing his best not to think of the terrible tortures that would have ensued had too much time passed. His bum was still sore from the last 'check up'.

( _Me? You sure squealed quickly. And what the hell dude? You mentioned the Writ. Way to break into the spoilers. It was going to be epic! Now I have to scrap my plans and start over. Do you know how much time and energy you've wasted for me?_ )

"He was going to violate me," the nerd protested. "I'm the Emissary here, not your personal entertainment. I have rights you know!"

( _Well, it was entertaining. *sigh* Gods, I had to intervene for this? Deus ex machina much? Alright, come on_ )

"Um, you know you have to write me ou-"

Before he could finish his sentence, SteinMon1920518 wrote down, 'and Control Freak vanished without a trace… with his cuffs still intact.'

( _Some Emissary. Now where to drop him for a few chapters? Maybe a couple stories? Hmm? Oh, yes._ *Turns to audience* _So sorry about that, but I needed to keep my fourth-wall breaker wholesome and unscathed for future material. Have a good one._ )

* * *

 **A/N:** RELEASE THE CHAPTER 12!

Forever again, if there is anything that needs edited, or is connecting in a weird way for you guys, let me know and I'll try to clean up the text. I do accept grammar and spelling errors too (PM these if possible, and I'll add them to my next Hard Edit)

As always (and I'll just keep posting this because its true), keep posting your constructive criticisms, as they will help me know what to look for in my future writings, and for the days I decide to do a hard edit. I look forward to growing as a writer for you guys and myself

Heads up my peeps, I'm looking for villains you guys would like to see rejoin the land of the nice and toasty warm (because lets face it, the few villains that are unfrozen wouldn't open up a lot of story potential. Think about it, the number of epic battle scenes would plummet. I tremble at the thought). Please post in the Review or PM it to me (and no, I'm not going to release them all like some sort of zoo house, that would be hard to catch every angle of agonizing detail). Looking forward to your ideas.

Also, if you guys have ideas on how to improve the quality of the Summary, let me know. First story posted and all. Thanks again.

A challenge as well: because this chapter was really short (even by my standards), if we get five solid Reviews (and I mean thoughtful, insightful, and utterly impacting Reviews), I will post the next chapter before this Wednesday (which will then proceed to interrupt my scheduled release of the chapters but Hey, incentive). Do with that power what you will.

 _Tamaranian Translations (Original Translation)_ **:**

 _None this week!_

(Review Response disclaimer: I ramble sometimes. That's just me being excited. If I don't ramble, I'm still excited, just calm. Also, I have a "different" sense of humor. I swear it's not you, it's completely and utterly me.)

And now for the new _Reviews Responses_ :

\- FF8cerberus: Yeah, no problems here. My issue is that I leave a bunch of easter eggs and hints throughout my stories. Everything is connected, and hinted about. Cause leads to effect, which becomes another cause leading to another effect, that may or may not connect to a previously stated cause or effect that has no other apparent connections. I can't not have an interwoven web of storyline. It's just how I write; so I expect people to suddenly have that Ah-ha! moment when the wheel comes full circle. Maybe being ambiguous is the better option, easter eggs are part of the "hunt" after all. Happy Reading!

As for Robin and his actions, I hope I stayed TTC (that means "true-to-character", right? Not something weird?).

\- zafnak: YES! First typo correspondence from a Review! I have documented this, this shall be a sacred day!

No, Robin never apologized in the series for that; but personally, that's just Robin. He's so focused on either the "big-picture" or the "single-pixel" (personally, I'm the same way), and doesn't seem to change between those very easily (I change too easily). He's focus is either so wide that he can't see the details, or its so focused that he can't connect the dots. It's just one of his quirks, and in some cases, it's a good feature to have in detectives (when they can distinguish and alternate between the two). I mean, it took him how long to realize and act on his feelings for Starfire? Five Seasons. Five... frickin'... seasons. And a movie! So I think his views towards his teammates are much the same way.

I have to ask if that is a challenge? You have no idea how tempting it was to completely obliterate my original outline just for you. _You_ may find out that Control Freak was the mastermind behind everything a few arcs down the line. The entire multi-verse could be breaking down because of him, and all because you and your Review. On that note, I need your mailing address so I can send you my work hat... just in case. I expect and anticipate the video proof of your and my cap's consumption. Heheheh! If there are any terms of agreement we need to come to, then we should discuss them. Have fun! (Disclaimer: Just for the sake of privacy and all that, don't actually send me your mailing address. It would just make me feel terrible. I like my work hat, and would hate to lose it over this.)

\- SylarFan: I know right! Gods, people these days actually need to get a room. Nothings sacred or private any more. (*Trembling as bad memories resurface*)

\- Madison Fucth: The wait is over!

*End of Review Response

So the count down begins (what am I saying, the count-down is going to be a while yet). What has our dear friend Cyborg uncovered? And what was the data Robin received? Find out next time, on Falling Apart Chapter 13. :D


	14. Chapter 13

Chapter 13:

* * *

 **A/N:** Oh, wow. The week is once again short and sweet with a hint of bitterness. To another upcoming week!

What is this? Week fourteen I think? I'm losing more track of time than I thought. Now where is my coffee?

We're at forty-two Reviews, forty-six Favorites, fifty-four Followers, and over sixty-five hundred views ("How does that number jump like that?"). (P.S. I use this particular note as a kind of mile stone for myself). We're still climbing that fandom ladder, and I hope to keep it growing. Thank you guys for your continued support, and welcome to all the new peeps joining us every week. You guys keep my world rocking!

Don't forget to post any QCC so I can post responses (Note to audience, the longer the QCC, the longer I'm compelled to make my response. Do with that what you will)

Hope you guys had a good Fourth of July (do any countries besides America celebrate that? Huh.)

Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Titans...but I have a jar of pickles, a jar of jalapenos, and a jar of peanut butter. No...scratch that...the jalapeno jar is empty *tears*

Without further adieu. *Que the dimming of the lights*

* * *

Falling Apart:

Chapter 13-

Unaware of the terrible plot device taking place below as they ascended, Raven downed her tea, quickly sending her empty mug through a portal to her room where she knew it would land safely on her nightstand. Unlike the characters in the movies and videogames her comrades played, she didn't feel a surge of power from the mixed brew. She still had to digest the contents before the effects completely kicked in like any other ingested substance. If it were that easy, potions would have been in higher demand in magic and caster communities. Not that they were in low demand to begin with.

Robin in the mean time was pouring quickly over the file on his phone, complaining every now and then about 'limited data space' as he read it. The more and more he read in the elevator, the more and more tense the atmosphere became with each passing second as they painstakingly climbed up all of two floors.

"Anything interesting?" Raven asked, taking small meditative measures as she prepared herself for whatever news Cyborg had for them, and now evidently whatever Robin's contacts had obtained as well.

Robin didn't answer right away, prompting her to glance his way. He was absorbed in whatever he was seeing, his masked eyes narrowing further and further. Absently, he pulled himself away, closing the phone before placing it back in his pocket.

"We'll see what Cyborg found first," he replied, barely drawn out of his deep thoughts. "I'm sure both our data will make sense side-by-side."

Raven didn't press for any more information, reigning in her impatience. The sooner she knew what to expect, the easier her healing Beast Boy would be. Even preparing herself for it, she was still nervous about what she was going to do. Sometimes the remedy was worse than the cure, but could do good in small doses.

The elevator stopped, opening its doors into the halls. Robin was already stepping forward, heading straight for the Med Bay. Raven followed behind, keeping to herself.

A small fire seemed to be stoking in her stomach. That was good. It meant it wouldn't be much longer until she could start taping into the power she was digesting and drawing out.

"Glad you guys made it here quickly."

Raven glanced up, unaware that they had entered the Med Bay at all. 'I need to pay better attention,' she reprimanded herself. A glance over at the prone, rapidly respiring, changeling steeled her resolve. 'I can't be spacing off.'

Cyborg looked distracted, his mechanical hands grinding against each other as he looked this way and that. He didn't like what he was going to be sharing, and the others seemed aware of it too.

"Here," Robin stated, pulling out his phone once more. He rapidly pressed a few buttons before looking up at Cyborg expectantly.

The half-robot's eye raised as he got a pop-up alert, opening the file transferred to him. Rapidly scanning and assimilating the data with his own, he frowned, looking down. "Wow, this… blows," he muttered, shaking his head as he returned to task.

"Friends," Starfire exclaimed as she entered suddenly, her face smudged with whatever she had been attempting to cook. "I came with the haste at your call. The puddings are prepared and in the coolness of the fridge, awaiting their cooking to the degrees of seven-hundred and fifty. That your Earth ovens can reach such glorious temperatures is truly wonderful."

Barely restrained cringes circulated the group. Even Beast Boy's rapidly beeping heart monitor seemed to jump pace at the prospect of Star's cooking.

"Anyway," Cyborg stated, redrawing attentions back to him. "I know I keep callin' y'all back in here, but I have bad news, I have good news, and I have worse news."

Their curiosities drawn and peeked, Cyborg pressed onward. "The bad news is, B's been infected with a virus, but…." He held up his hand to silence the half open mouths of protest. "...the good news is, as far as I can tell, the virus isn't what's…." He hesitated. He didn't like potentially jinxing his words, but there was no nice way of putting it. "...the virus isn't what's killing him."

"Then what is doing the 'killing'?" Starfire demanded, her fists lighting aglow in anger. "Tell us so we may do the 'killing' back."

"That's the worse news." He scratched the back of his head as he looked away. "I have no idea what's got it in for him. I ran it through every possible test, cross-referenced to every world-wide database I could get an English translation of, or otherwise. Nothing. There was just… nothing."

Robin sat back, crossing his arms as he glanced down. "It's not nothing. What _do_ we know?"

Sighing, Cyborg tapped some commands into his arm, bringing a holoscreen to life. "This is a sample of B's blood, and this…." He hit a single button and the sample began to move as if from a video playback. "...is what's happening."

Nothing happened at first, until the cells began dying on screen enmass.

"What-?" Raven started, only to be stopped by Cyborg's hand.

"Just keep watching," Cyborg commanded.

Soon enough, once the sample had been reduced to nothing more than lifeless matter, a wave pulsed through it, the entire thing swimming in green proto-matter as it reformed back into a living collection of active cells: from capillary walls to hemocytes.

"I took a closer look at the genetic level, and that's where the issue seems to be," Cyborg said. "But that's just it: his DNA strands are just… falling apart. There's nothing causing it, or at least, nothing I can see."

"What about the virus? What role is it playing?" Raven asked, knowing it wouldn't have been brought up otherwise.

"The virus," Cyborg said, throwing a close-up of a single writhing organism on screen, "is what's saving him."

"How is that possible?" Raven demanded, looking at the strange entity on the screen, it's boiling shape reminding her nauseously of the mass that had grown out of Beast Boy.

"What research I could gather on this, and what Robin's contacts helped confirm, is that the virus is called Sakutia, better known as, but still just as scarce, 'Green Fever'. It attacks the genetic code and rewrites it. It evidently originates in the Lamumba region of Africa."

"So what's it doing in Beast Boy?" Raven asked.

"That's just it, this," he gestured to the organism, "isn't the virus... exactly, but a sort of... extension. It's too big. The virus is already spread throughout all his gene structure. _These_ things are closer to proto-morphic neural sensory organs. "

Even Robin was drawing a blank look as everyone stared at the tin-man blankly.

Sighing, he readjusted his vocabulary. "They are a… wireless, nerve system. The best way I can describe it is like an emergency protocol that remained latent in his genetic coding, presumably for this exact reason. It's probably created instinctively by the virus or B's morphing as a counter-measure of sorts. Whenever his DNA begins crumbling, these things send out signals that trigger an autonomous shapeshift to counteract it. They didn't even show up on my scans until today."

"But it's saving him," Raven pointed out, her impatience becoming more apparent. "I can try healing him, and there won't be a problem."

"Raven," Cyborg said seriously, "what little I've found on Sakutia has said one thing: no one survives more than forty-eight hours. The trauma of having their genetic code rewritten is too significant to the body. Of the seven _recorded_ cases, no one has survived.

"But according to B's DNA, he's had it since before we've been a team. The side-effects on all the victims had one thing in common: they turned green. Skin, hair, eyes, the works. B's green. It attacks and rewrites DNA; and he's a shapeshifter. Simple math says, that's how he got his powers."

"It's more than that," Robin stated, raising an eyebrow. "Beast Boy _survived_ the Sakutia virus, whether his condition was recorded or not."

Sighing once again, Cyborg pushed another button on his arm. The image of the "proto-morphic neural sensory organ" vanished, quickly replaced by a single photo.

It was old, and somewhat grainy, as if taken from an old film-camera, as opposed to the modern digital-cameras. Two people, a man and a woman, stood side-by-side, smiling at the photographer's lens.

Raven noted the air of professionalism about the two of them; far enough apart, but the distance between them pulled together by the threads of a personal relationship. At least, if most photo's of Robin and Starfire in public together were any indication.

The man was a windswept blonde, his skin sun-tanned and his eyes as bright as they were intelligent. The woman was brunette, her wavy hair falling just above her shoulders if it wasn't pulled back in a ponytail; the spark in her blue eyes just as vibrant as her partner's, if not a little mischievous. Both were dressed for business, but the sense they gave off was more rough than refined, as if they spent the better part of their time outdoors.

For some reason, Raven found that they struck a familiar cord within her. Was it their eyes? Their almost charismatic gaze that was unaffected by whatever business they were attending to? The carefree smiles on their faces? For some reason, something about them drew her in.

"This is Doctors Mark and Marie Logan," Cyborg said, gesturing to the couple. "Married a couple years at the time this was taken. The info Robin's guys accrued puts both of them as more than qualified genealogical researchers, both top of their fields, and both having spent years studying the Sakutia virus. As far as B's virus is concerned, these people are the most qualified to help us, but…."

Another image popped up, a number side-by-side pages containing hundreds of chemical formulations, and atomic structures littered about, along with several side notes. "… about twelve years ago they died in a boating accident. The good news is their research developed a would-be cure about a year before that. Since their deaths, their research was picked up by… Wayne Enterprises?"

Cyborg sent a critically raised eyebrow Robin's way. "Do they know you have some of their R&D?"

"The project was scrapped years ago," Robin stated. "The board of Wayne Enterprises was more concerned with developing remedies, not cures. You can't make money off of healthy people, especially when it's isolated to a single region with fewer than one case a year. It's been gathering dust since Lucius Fox became the board chairman. He might have picked the research back up in time, but we don't have time on our side. So, I… procured it from a contact."

"Okay…," Cyborg hesitated, glancing at the company watermark on the document. "…good to know that even if we help B, we just stole company secrets from one of the worlds largest organizations. We are goin' to jail ladies and gentlemen."

"Could you do the explaining, please," Star asked, drawing the attentions back to her. "If this was a cure, then why is friend Beast Boy still the green, and a shifter of shape?"

"Their serum was and is still relatively untested, and my guess, which is as good as any at this point, is that B was with the Logans and their team. Most likely as a family member to one of the researchers, given the unlikely chance it was any other scenario. Although, what happened to his family in that case still leaves a huge gap between then and when he joined the Doom Patrol.

"So my theory is that B contracts Sakutia as a kid, and the Logans have a perfectly convenient subject to test their formula on, on-sight. The issue is that it wasn't a cure for the virus specifically. They didn't have the tech to analyze it back then, but according to my preliminary scans of the compounds, it was a 'viral regressor'. It mutated the virus into a weaker strain, so B's body could handle his genetics being rewritten."

"Which would explain how he survived," Robin affirmed.

"And why the virus is currently mutating," Cyborg stated suddenly, earning him shocked glances from everyone.

"Wait," Raven said, holding up a hand in pause. "You just said that the virus isn't what's hurting him."

"It's not _killing_ him," Cyborg corrected, preparing his explanation slowly. "The virus was dormant in B's DNA for years in it's regressed state. This thing comes along and begins making his gene's fall apart, which is now triggering a gene-rewriting virus into mutating rapidly. The virus is evolving into what it was before B got the Logan's serum. It might even be evolving further. And it's doing it to save its host. It's finishing its original biological programming _and_ making improvements.

"So yeah, of course it's hurting him. The virus has integrated itself into every DNA strand in his body, and now that virus is mutating and re-rewriting his DNA. The very life strain of his body is changing. It's almost like he's evolving with the virus. The problem is, we don't know what's damaging his DNA to begin with, or how he'll come out of it. There's no living reference from any of the prior cases that we can use to see how this will turn out."

"So how do we do the helping?" Starfire asked, her hands clenching in determination.

Cyborg looked critically at Raven. "We've taken this as far as science can for now, and we don't have the time to explore it further, so do ya think you have a way to heal him? Any magic that can help?"

Raven hesitated, unsure now that all this information was dumped in her lap. She closed her eyes to focus, sorting through it all. His body was trying to save itself, but something was preventing that. The virus was mutating to protect him, yet it was rewriting his DNA for a second time, his entire being becoming an embodiment of agony. From what little Raven understood, Beast Boy's DNA was already unstable. What good would the virus do if it just continued to rewrite his DNA?

She pinched the bridge of her nose in frustration. 'What would Beast Boy do?'

' _I may not be smart enough to know everything, but I'm dumb enough to try anything!_ ' Beast Boy's voice rang with such clarity in her head. She couldn't help but smile a little at the changeling's tenacity. Now that she was the one trying to save a friend, Raven could admire the misplaced-return-to-sender wisdom that was buried really, _really_ , deep in his words.

'Go get 'im Rae,' she felt Brave say inside her mind.

'Yeah! Let's show that doof that nothing and no-one kills him but us,' Rage called out.

She basked in the feeling as one-by-one her emotions sweltered to life, giving her their accumulated powers in response. She looked at Cyborg, her confidence practically leaking from her chakra.

"Yeah, I'll save him," she responded. "Even if I have to drag his ass through all nine realms of Hell to do it."

Cyborg chuckled, placing his hand on her shoulder. "That's our girl. Now what do you need?"

She balked for a moment as her thoughts caught up with her brain. "I need everyone to clear the room. But Cyborg, could you stay for a moment? I have instructions."

"Wouldn't it be best if we all heard them?" Robin asked.

"No," Raven said, completely deadpan. "Not for this."

He frowned at her, half-wondering if she was still trying to punish him for his treatment toward Beast Boy. But he didn't think so. This felt... dangerous. Private.

"Come boyfriend Robin," Starfire said, completely unfazed, picking up one of his hands in hers. "You may assist me with preparing our friend's Puddings for when he awakens. Friend Cyborg will join us shortly."

Slowly, she was able to get Robin to move, and the couple slowly disappeared behind the automatic door of the Med Bay.

"So what do ya need Raven?" Cyborg asked, now that they were alone. "'Cause I know it has nothing to do with instructions."

"I need your advice, and your seal of confidence," she said, her voice not losing it's monotone, but retreating further into it all the same. "I'm about to do something completely untested magic-wise, and… I'm scared. The spells I'll be using are one's I've only read about or seen the monks of Azarath perform."

"Not sure how much help I'll be," Cyborg stated. "I don't know jack about magic. Gimme a computer, and I'll rock the world, but this is-"

"It's not about helping me perform magic," she confessed. "It's about watching me and Beast Boy for side-effects after I'm done.

"Cyborg, I'm about to merge our bodies. This is my first time doing this, so I don't know what will happen."

One moment, then two.

"Uh-huh. Is that an innuendo, or is that as bad as it sounded?" Cyborg asked, an eyebrow raising critically. "I'd think it was a joke, but that's not really your thing."

She glared at him seriously, her tone drowning the hurt she felt. Of all the Titans, she thought he would take this seriously. "Cyborg, I'm not joking here. Casting a Symbiotic Healing Trance is… troubling."

A half-glance at his emotions showed he was waiting patiently for an in-depth explanation. Not teasing her, but trying to make sense of her words all the same.

Trying to bypass all the magical vocabulary he wouldn't understand and pulling in some terminology he would, she sighed at the simple misunderstanding her own words had caused. Sometimes simplicity wasn't the answer, at least not on Earth.

"When I say I'm merging our bodies, I literally mean _merge_ ," she stated, glancing at the changeling out of the corner of her eye. "I'll be fusing our physical beings on the cellular level. The whole point is for my body to take his damage as my own and trigger one of my healing trances, thereby healing us 'both'. Hence a Symbiotic Healing Trance."

Cyborg put a hand to his chin, nodding his understanding. "But that seems a little snug, like, 'so close you could strangle him' kind of snug."

Raven had to throw her emotions into a bomb-disposal tank as Passion fainted from a nosebleed and Timid just straight up began convulsing. Happy wasn't far behind before Brave, Envy, and Rage chained her and a twitchy Hope together. "I hadn't thought of that," she admitted, quickly turning away to hide the heat that was rising to her face. 'Thank Azar for hoods.'

"And it's your first time?" Cyborg inquired, not seeming to notice her state of mind. "You'd think a skill like that would come in handy."

Raven shook her head, a slight feeling of dejection hitting her. "The monks of Azarath developed it, but… it had effects. Being that close to someone physically, closer than any form of physical intimacy can allow… let's just say it invited less than acceptable relationships. And being the daughter of an inter-dimensional demon who couldn't feel without unleashing her powers…especially feeling like that… they didn't want to risk me gaining any unnecessary attachments and destroying everything around me. I was free to study the spell all I liked, but never permitted to use it."

"That's messed up," Cyborg said. "But is that what you meant by 'side-effects'?"

She hesitated before nodding. "Mostly. If you notice anything. _Anything_. Let me know. I'll prepare a counter-agent just in case after we separate. I don't want either of us to… feel an unnecessary compelling toward the other. He deserves better than some magically induced infatuation."

"But if that's the case, why B?" Cyborg asked. "Seems like a pretty big risk."

"Because, of all the healing spells I know and can perform, this one has the shortest preparation time, the shortest casting time, and the best chance of succeeding," she answered. "There is a risk, but I don't know if I'd be able to save him in time otherwise.

"Plus I need the extra time to help him heal… in other areas. Emotional ones. Once activated, the Trance will be autonomous, but some of his emotions… need sifting through."

Cyborg felt her discomfort. Physical discomfort was normal for her, but emotions were kind of her thing. And if she was feeling nervous about something from an emotional standpoint, he could only attempt to imagine what about B was making her feel that way. She had seen how mature Beast Boy had grown before any of them. Maybe she was seeing something they couldn't see this time too.

"And you didn't want to tell Robin about any of this?"

She glanced away guiltily. "If there wasn't a risk of side-effects, I wouldn't have even told you. It's not something easy to share. I could end up potentially manipulating not only his, but my emotions as well, but you're our primary care physician. Telling you any of this after the fact might be too late."

"Well…," he said, not sure how to respond to that. He knew everyone kept secrets. Even he rarely talked about his past unless it was unavoidable. But if he hadn't been the doctor of the group, she wouldn't have told him anything? "… thanks for the honesty. Can't say I appreciate it, but I'll take it as a vote of confidence. It can't be easy preparing for something like this, knowing the potential downside."

She nodded, empathizing with his frustration. She doubted she would feel any different in his position.

"I'll leave you to it then," he finished, beginning to walking away. "Make sure you bring our boy back. But don't do anything too risky. One Titan... one friend down is one more than any of us can handle."

"Thanks Cyborg," Raven whispered, gently pressing her guilt to the back of her mind. Just below a whisper she said, "and I will. I won't let him down."

Once the door had hissed shut, she opened a swirling dark portal, several items enveloped in her power floating into view. With masterful precision and speed, she began rearranging and lighting candles, drawing complex equations and formulas, tying together the spell with Beast Boy at it's epicenter.

She cooked her gathered ingredients, using her dark constructs as makeshift pressure pots as she quickly calculated, timed and measured how the ingredients needed to be prepared. Once all was finished, the constructs came together into a single "pot", and with a flick of her wrist, it all began mixing together in a miniature maelstrom until it settled into a liquid.

Breathing in gently, she pulled a floating pair of sheers from the air, snipping some fuzz from Beast Boy's hair before mixing it into her concoction, watching as it dissolved. She breathed deeply, opening her access to her innate magics.

"I Raven, daughter of Trigon and Angela Roth, hereby entering under sound heart and pure soul, beseech that the blood and flesh of this man, except my own, that I may make him whole in body once more," she chanted, the firelit candles wavering slightly.

She reached inward, stoking the fire her first potion had started and pulled outward. A flood of magical energy enveloped her, making every nerve from her fingertips to her toes ache with active power.

'We're ready,' Brave confirmed, the whole of her emotions nodding in agreement as they sat lotus style, their hands making her standard Root Chakra sign. Passion had an image-projected tissue stuffed in her nose to stop the bleeding, while Timid remained laying on the ground, and Happy remained chained to Hope. It was an odd way to mediate, but they nodded their consent.

Raven nodded, closing her eyes as she envisioned the incantation as she had memorized it. She opened the chant, soon followed in chorus by the rest of the flock.

" _Zinthos Metrion Zekbuab, Eithra Ep'det Dekrias. Joulem Shalu'um Wyvald. Azarath, Rava_ _l_ _a… Rava_ _l_ _a Nekshied!"_

Her second set of eyes opened, glowing white along with her primary eyes as her power concentrated and focused within her, the fullness of her magic drawn out by the potion she had drank. The candle flames turned from a gentle yellow glow to a raging black scorch. The lines and inscriptions she had drawn began to shine, overpowering the dim light of the heart monitor and setting the room brighter than the sun.

She glanced down at the mixture enshrouded in her power as it coldly reflected the firelight. "Please let me help, Garfield," she whispered. And with that, she drank.

The potion's effects took effect the moment it touched her lips. It tasted like milk three weeks past it's expiration date; but burned like acid, as though it were eating the flesh it touched as it went down. She winced as she had to force herself to continue drinking. Once she swallowed the last drop, the "pot" faded, and she called forth her soul-self, its bird-like shadow flaring its wings about her as she placed both of her hands on Beast Boy's chest.

The pull was instant as she watched her hands began to atomize, quickly fading into the changeling. Bit by swift bit, she felt less of her, and more of him; and what she felt was terrible.

Her skin prickled and crawled as though a thousand insects had learned to generate electricity as they skittered across her body. The overpowering stench of something burning scalded her sinuses until finally she no longer felt individual, but rather, singular; and her shadow's black wings wrapped around them.

Their heart beat pounded so terribly fast, it felt as though their chest would explode. Their breath came so quickly, their nose was chapped, and their lungs strained as though they couldn't demand enough air. A boiling furnace seemed to settle just underneath their skin, even as they felt sweat steam away from their forehead before it could form into droplets. And the heat, it felt as though they were being cooked alive like a Thanksgiving turkey in an oven, in the middle of the desert, under a Pillsbury Dough-baking sun.

How they withstood the agony was her best… no… _their_ best guess. They wanted to scream in their pain, but they didn't. Not that they couldn't, but the unconscious part of them was… tolerating it, as though it were a trivial nuisance, a minor trudge. Instead, they focused on how strangely tight and constricted their body felt, as though too much was stuffed into their one space.

The shadow enveloped them, wrapping swiftly around them as they felt themselves lifting slowly off of the bed, the healing beginning.

The individual, but singular conscious that was Raven quietly closed her inner eyes as the Trance began, letting the calm rest pull her inward. And slowly, her shadow melded to their form, reaching deeper into their minds until there was no space between consciousness.

* * *

It was too bright. The light was warm and green, the air smelling thicker with an increase in humidity but was crisp and fresh, the ground was moist but not soaked, and the sounds that caressed her ear reminded her vaguely of song birds.

Her eyes clouded open, taking in the sight of the sun through a leafy canopy overhead. Her ear tickled as an insect buzzed in a high-pitched drone past her face, and her hand lifted in front of her face to block the light, covered in speckles of dirt.

"Hey miss, are you okay?"

She turned slightly to see big blue eyes looking into hers. They were so bright, almost like they could generate their own light, but at the same time, they reminded her of a stormy sea.

"Wha?" she mumbled, force-straining her blinking as she tried to widen her field-of-vision from those eyes.

"Not to bright are you?" the voice said, giggling childishly to itself. "But you should be. The sun's shining right on you."

Raven pulled herself into a sitting position, clutching her head as the sudden movement made her dizzy. "Where am I?"

"Africa, silly."

She turned to the voice, taking in the whole of it's owner. It was a little boy, no older than five, maybe six, if she was a judge of age. His blonde hair was messy with dirt and dishevelled, jutting this way and that, but short none the less. He sat squat, his hands resting on his bare knees as he looked straight into her eyes fearlessly. He wore a simple light blue t-shirt, kids-sized khaki's, and little tan hiking boots that were on the wrong feet and the laces tied all funny.

"Africa?" She jumped as she heard a twig snap.

"Hahahahaha!" the little boy laughed, falling onto his back at whatever hilarity he found amusing.

"What's with you?" she demanded dryly, her eye twitching something fierce. Kids always hit that pitch perfectly when they laughed, or squealed, and it made her back crawl in irritation. But there was something else about it. It was a familiar laugh that had the opposite effect, and instead, put her at ease.

"Your funny," he said, composing himself. With a little more effort than appeared necessary, he got to his feet, wiped dirty handprints on his shirt, and offered her a small hand up. "What's your name?"

She took the boy's kind hand, even if he strained a little to help her up. "Raven."

He gave her a huge smile that exposed all of his teeth, practically blinding her. It tugged at her, pulling from some memory that she had. It was unclear until she glimpsed the small under-bite, and the single pronounced lower canine jutting out misshapenly.

"Nice to meet you Miss Raven," he smiled, gently shaking the hand that still held hers. "My name is Garfield. But not like the cat, okay?"

* * *

 **A/N:** And so it begins.

Forever again, if there is anything that needs edited, or is connecting in a weird way for you guys, let me know and I'll try to clean up the text. I do accept grammar and spelling errors too (PM these if possible, and I'll add them to my next Hard Edit)

As always (and I'll just keep posting this because its true), keep posting your constructive criticisms, as they will help me know what to look for in my future writings, and for the days I decide to do a hard edit. I look forward to growing as a writer for you guys and myself

I forgot to add this last chapter since I brought up Ryan Reynolds, but if anything looks like a name that is familiar, I don't own it. Just disclaimer. Unfortunately. How cool would it be if I owned Ryan Reynolds... or his contract. Dude, that would be sweet! It would be like talking to Deadpool 24/7.

Unfortunately, we didn't hit five solid Reviews in time for the Fourth, but it's all good. I can't make the same offer this week, but we'll see about next week.

 _Tamaranian Translations (Original Translation)_ **:**

 _None this week!_

(Review Response disclaimer: I ramble sometimes. That's just me being excited. If I don't ramble, I'm still excited, just calm. Also, I have a "different" sense of humor. I swear it's not you, it's completely and utterly me.)

And now for the new _Reviews Responses_ :

\- FF8cerberus: As far as the Writ: SPOILERS! Just know that it wasn't scrapped. After all, Control Freak doesn't say anything unless it's in the script ;)

\- Ribke: I'm glad you enjoyed it. Hope you like the rest of it so far

\- Junior VB: Also, SPOILERS! Can't give away where the fourth-wall breaker is.

\- Guest: Sorry. I'm not sure which "Guest" you are. We've had a few I think. But all the same, glad to hear that my fanfiction was at the forefront of your mind when you got back on.

There is a long-term reason for Temperance, and I'm glad that you enjoyed their interactions. Raven needs that kind of heart-warming experience. Hopefully this was worth the wait, as far as what Cyborg and Robin found out. The rest is coming, so keep holding on to your seat (but wear a seat belt) and I'll drive this thing home. And also, thank you for your praise, but my first attempt at fanfiction left my friends in a coma for a few days, so your first attempt couldn't have been _that_ bad

*End of Review Response

And the story continues! What will the Titan's sorceress uncover? Will her attempts at healing be successful? And what about those side-effects? Or will this be a multi-chaptered experience? Find out next time on Falling Apart Chapter 14 :D


	15. Chapter 14

Chapter 14:

* * *

 **A/N:** I apologize ahead of time, but I've had a migraine the last few days, and no amount of coffee, water, ibuprofen, or sleep has dispersed it. And to add injury to insult, I'm sick. I'd like to beg extra attentiveness of the readers to my grammar and spelling. It's been a feat and a half to concentrate. So please, help!

Week fifteen and we are still rolling (rolling, rolling... rawhide!)

We're at fifty-one Reviews ("Golly gee wilikers, that's a jump of nine...I must have done something right in that last chapter"), fifty-two Favorites, fifty-eight Followers, and over seventy-six hundred views ("You guys just keep spoiling me"). (P.S. I use this particular note as a kind of mile stone for myself). Two more self-created milestones achieved! You guys know how to move a dude to happy tears faster than he can breath. I love you guys, I love the encouragement you provide, and I love the life you guys breathe into this story. This is the reason I work through the headache

Don't forget to post any QCC so I can post responses (Note to audience, the longer the QCC, the longer I'm compelled to make my response. Do with that what you will)

Disclaimer: The deed to the Teen Titans franchise; so close, and yet, so far. Anyone hatch a plan to get it? I'm in.

Without further adieu. *Que the dimming of the lights*

* * *

Falling Apart:

Chapter 14-

"So, you're Garfield?"

"Uh-huh."

Raven glanced at the pint-sized changeling-to-be. He looked so… normal. She didn't know how he was supposed to contract Sakutia and turn green but seeing him as he was before that was… creepy. And she knew creepy, but this was ridiculously so.

"So, you're Raven?" he asked, looking up to meet her eyes, but pointing at her attire. "I thought ravens were supposed to have black feathers."

She glanced at her cloak, noting that her standard dark blue was indeed, not the color of a raven. "I like this color," she stated simply, a little dare to argue with her evident in her voice. "And besides, I didn't choose my name."

He didn't stop looking at her, and they continued to stand in the middle of the jungle, unmoving.

"Did you know that the _Corvus corax_ has a photographic and instinctual-genetic memory?" he asked suddenly, clearly proud of his trivia and knowledge.

She raised an eyebrow. When he didn't respond, she asked, "You know Greek?"

He suddenly smiled slyly, that signature Beast Boy flare entering his eyes. "It's all Greek to me, baby." His face contorted slightly as if that had been completely out of character, before his face returned to its original standing. "No, _Corvus corax_ is the genus-species for the Common Raven."

"Are you ok-"

Her head darted this way and that as a monkey's shriek reverberated through the trees, echoing from seemingly everywhere.

"Beast B-" she turned back, only to see the child was missing. "Beast Boy!"

No response. She turned frantically, her vision swimming as the jungle seemed to condense around her. Leaves and branches seemed more arms and gnarled fingers than trees, the light darkening around her from the gathering foliage. "Garfield!"

Her body bolted as she heard a shrill cry, some inborn instinct tugging through her sternum with a jolt as it propelled her forward, her feet lifting airborne. She dodged under a limb, pushed herself over another as she searched frantically for the crying child. If that were the cry of one of her kids; if that was Melven, Timmy, or Teether... She left the thought unfinished.

Another cry pulled her attention in the right direction until she finally found him. He was laying on the ground, clutching his forearm. Blood pooled out from under his tiny hand, as he cried, his face rolling over in dirt-turned-mud with his tears. Laying just a few feet from him, a green monkey lay convulsing as it gurgled foam from its mouth, its rapid breaths quickly slowing before stopping all together with the occasional twitch.

Before Raven could dive, another figure entered the scene, quickly assessing the situation. From her view, it appeared to be a woman, but Raven couldn't see her face.

"Mark!" she called, scooping up the child before running back the direction she had come. "Mark! Get me a stretcher, its Garfield!"

Raven tried to follow, only for the entire scene to fade away to an inky void. Just as quickly as it faded, a new scene emerged.

A small green changeling, not much older than he had been in the vision, sat in a squat, dank cell. His clothes were little more than rags, and a collar around his neck housed a strange device that flashed a small red light every few seconds.

"Garfield." Raven moved to the cell, crouching as she reached a hand in, gently touching his arm.

He shrieked as he jumped away, bashing into the bars opposite with a _crash!_ His arms moved quickly to protect his face, blocking his vision and stifling the tears he would have otherwise broke into. "I didn't do anything, I swear," he cried, quivering in preparation for a beating that never came.

"Beas- Garfield," she corrected, her hand held out kindly. "It's me."

He looked past his shielding hands, his now green eyes widening in recognition. "Miss Raven? What are yo-?"

"WHAT'S GOING ON DOWN THERE?" a voice boomed, far louder than it should have been.

Beast Boy slinked back, his body trembling in fear. He quickly remembered Raven's presence and tried shooing her away. The echoing sound of footsteps descending stairs crashed around them until suddenly, they stopped.

"YOU! WHO ARE YOU?!" the voice demanded.

Raven turned, an imposing shadow figure towering unrealistically over her like some form of monster. She looked back at Beast Boy, his eyes wide as he looked between her and his imposing demon. Observing his current condition was all the excuse she needed before tossing gasoline on the fires of her anger.

She whipped around, all four of her eyes glowing a murderous red as she began to grow in height, sprouting tentacles slithering from underneath her cloak and rearing like venomous snakes. " _Did_ you _do this_?" she demanded, her tone emerging demonically.

The figure backed away in surprise, the faint impressions of a shadowed mouth opening in shock.

" _Sounds like a yes_ ," she hissed, her tentacles shooting out like a wave of whipping snakes. " _No one hurts my friends_."

Before they could find purchase on the object of her vengeance, a hand firmly grasped her shoulder, forcing a pause into her attack. "That's enough Raven."

She turned to see Beast Boy, her Beast Boy, standing at his self-imposed eye level height. He was calm, giving her a firm but kind smile.

The tentacles fell slack, retreating, and her eyes softened to their purple iris hue before her second set of eyes closed.

"Beast Boy?" she questioned, gently poking him in the arm to make sure he was for real.

He just laughed, his normal rich one that made her chest swell Happily, but his eyes spoke far more than "normal". He couldn't have been happier to see her. "Was wondering why I was suddenly dreaming about you. Now I know why."

He suddenly stopped and thought for a moment. "You are real right? I'd feel weird if the one time I grow lucid in a dream is because I only _think_ you're inside my head. It would be embarrassing if I tried talking to you about it later."

Her eyes grew deadpan as she stared at him. "Nooo, I'm completely a figment of your imagination," she responded sarcastically, giving him her signature eye roll. A normal Beast Boy-Raven interaction occurred as she rapped her knuckle gently against his forehead. "You couldn't dream me up even if you wanted to. You lack the imagination."

He chuckled as he scratched behind his head. "Good to know your opinion of me is as terrible as ever."

Everything around them faded once again, depositing them into a mental construction Commons room of the Tower.

"Those were nightmares," she stated suddenly, unflinching to the familiar environment, looking at him softly as he moved to the imaginary food cupboards. "And judging from the thought-structure, they were built from memories."

He didn't respond as he reached up to the cupboard, pulling out what looked like a small tin. The silence persisted as he grabbed two mugs, and a strange plastic object that he placed over one of the cups. The rest she couldn't see as he prepared something over them. Finally, he reached over the stove grabbing a steaming kettle she hadn't noticed before, watching him pour swiftly. All at once he was turning around with both mugs steaming though he only filled one, handing her a black one that read, "I Like My Brew Darker Than My Mug," with the image of a steaming coffee cup next to the wording.

She raised an eyebrow as she took the mug, the gentle wafes of steam tickling her nose with a pleasantly strong aroma. "What's this?"

"Just try it," he encouraged, sipping from a green mug with ugly cows across its surface, the wording reading, 'Cows Are Friends, Not Food.'

She suppressed a smile as she gently blew on the vapors, lifting it to her lips. The taste was bitter strong, as if the caffeine had gone straight to her veins. But the flavor was rich: faint hints of ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, cardamom, turmeric, and other spices she couldn't distinguish in the dark liquid.

"What is this?" she asked, taking another inhale of the fumes to see if she could smell anything else in the coffee. Sadly, she wasn't catching anything new. "This is good… even if it's only a dream."

"Lamumban spiced coffee," he answered, taking another satisfying sip. "All naturally flavored. The coffee beans get their flavor from sitting on trade carts and in storage with other spices. The best part is, no two batches taste the same. The exposure to the spices varies with each one. And ya can't get this stuff commercially. I had to get it imported, but what the heck, I don't have to order it in a dream. "

"Lamumba, huh?" Cyborg had just mentioned the African country. The research the Logans had conducted was set up there.

Still in deep thought she was startled by a throat suddenly being cleared.

"So, anyway," Beast Boy said, staring down into his mug, a sheepish glance from him met with her curiosity. "Thanks for coming when you did. Being lucid right now is the best I've felt in… a long time actually."

"Care to talk about it?" Raven asked, a little too insistent for her own good. Of course he noticed. Even if they were closer as friends now, that didn't mean they had ever discussed anything outside of arguing about her personal space and getting her to join the teams excursions. Now that she thought about it, they never talked about much else.

It was Beast Boy's turn to raise an eyebrow. "Why the sudden interest?" he asked, his head cocking curiously.

"One of my friends has been emotionally plummeting all day, and each time he does his body responds by shapeshifting in conjunction with his collapsing genetic makeup."

He starred blankly at her. "I'm sorry, you said 'conjunction', so I lost ya."

She glared at him. "How did you lose me at 'conjunction'?"

"'Conjunction Junction'," he answered, humming the tune quickly to himself, only stopping when she raised her eyebrow irritably. "At least it wasn't a tanbit about your height."

"'Tangent'," Raven corrected. "And stop changing the subject. This is serious.

"Well?"

He sighed, his jaw unhinging to open his mouth wider. He dumped the rest of his coffee down his gullet. He grabbed his jaw with his free hand, popping it back into place.

"Snake jaw," he said, answering Raven's unspoken questioning glance. Setting his mug down he leaned against the imaginary counter. "Soooo? What now?"

"I don't know," Raven admitted, sipping further on her imaginary coffee. "This is only the second time I've done this, and I didn't ask for permission last time." 'And there's a Hell of a lot more detail and time to observe this time around.'

Beast Boy's face drew out as he looked at her. "Seriously, Rae? I'm one of your unfortunate test subjects."

She looked away, a flush of embarrassment touching her cheeks. "I had to use an unconventional healing spell just to begin treating you, and I…." She hesitated, unsure of what to say. "…I want to help if I can."

"So I've been emotionally plummeting? And my shapeshifting responds to that? And my gehebic makeup is collapsing? You sure know how to tell a guy he's basically in deep shit," Beast Boy said sarcastically, a small smile touching his features. "Well, this sucks."

"It's 'genetic'," she corrected weakly, knowing he was purposefully redirecting her attention as she set the imaginary drink down. She stood up, walking over to the counter next to him and leaned her back against it. "But you forgot the part where I said you were my friend. And that means I'll do everything in my power to help you."

He smiled his appreciation, his eyes gleaming a little before they refocused, and then it was gone as her words sank in. "How bad am I? I felt like hell when I was awake, and I'm asleep in my head right now, so I can only guess what it feels like now."

She sighed, half-caught between telling him that it was nothing, or the truth. "It's bad Garfield," she finally said, deciding to leave out any details that would cause _another_ misunderstanding. Knowing Beast Boy, he'd jump the gun and start panicking if she mentioned that she had merged with him.

"I set my healing to auto-pilot, so I could enter your mind via my soul."

"Your soul?" he asked, his ugly mug poised half-way to his lips in confusion.

She sighed. "That black bird shaped shadow that jumps over us both when I save your butt in a fight by teleporting."

"Oh," he nodded in understanding. "That was your soul? I'd like one of those, if it comes in assorted shapes. Maybe a bear."

Raven barely contained her expression as she heaved lightly to contain a snort that would give her thoughts away. Inside however, Happy was gut rolling, along with half of her other emotions. Temperance and Suffering were probably the only upright emoticlones she had left.

Sniffing gently as she readjusted her facial expression, Raven managed to hide her outburst behind a stoic face that twitched into place. It only took her thinking about his condition to silence her Conspiracy of Ravens. "This is serious."

He just shrugged, finishing his unfinished sip.

"I'm currently healing any physical damage as it appears, but if I can't heal what's hurting you, then it won't do any good."

"So what do you think is causing it?" he asked calmly, allowing himself a moment to share her worry.

"I'm not sure," she admitted. "Cyborg said that the virus is what's causing you to shapeshift, but only in response to whatever's making your DNA fall apart."

"Virus?" Beast Boy asked, his eyes drawing in slightly.

"He said it was Sakutia."

Beast Boy's in-dream body crawled suddenly as he slowly tensed. "I see."

His eyes were dark, but in a sad kind of way; the surroundings blurring as his mind began wondering elsewhere.

Raven noticed his responses, a formulation of thought calculating through her mind. She reached out mentally, only to sense the changelings emotions in the very air.

'Oh, right,' she thought, berating herself. 'I'm already inside his head. He's just using a thought projection to communicate.'

She opened her chakra only a fraction, allowing his emotions to trickle into her mind.

"You knew about it?" she asked, calmly assessing him.

He was quiet for a moment. "The first dream you showed up in," he said, looking down and away. "That's how I got it."

"I didn't see much," Raven explained, wondering just what had happened.

"You saw the monkey… right?" he asked.

She nodded, wondering what he was getting a-. It struck her the next moment as she made the connection. "You got it from the monkey," she whispered, remembering that the monkey had been green.

"The West African green monkey, native only to Lamumba region. Still not sure if it contracted the virus, or if it was the source," he explained, gently pulling up the sleeve of his left arm.

Raven glanced over his bare arm with some inquiry, right up until she saw a prominent silvery-green scar on his forearm; like something had attempted to take a large chunk of his arm away. It was clear the scar had grown as he had gotten older, but still, it took up more space on his arm than she had thought was possible, so there was no telling how large it appeared on a child.

"Now ya know why I always wear long sleeves," he jested weakly, his smile absent.

Raven snatched his wrist before he could pull his Doom Patrol uniform back into place. A finger gently traced over it, feeling the scar-tissue shift underneath her touch. Even Beast Boy seemed to quiver at the contact.

"So what happened?" she asked. "Robin and Cyborg were able to fill in most of the gaps, but I'd rather hear it from you."

"My… birth parents gave me a cocktail they had been working on," he continued nervously, eyeing Raven's interest in his scar with a mixture of shifting emotions that were barely graspable to the Empath, as he were snatching them back as soon as they began to flit off.

There it was again, him mentioning his birth parents. "What happened to them? If you were adopted by Mento and Elasti-girl, then something must've ha-"

His face fell, and the air rippled through his mind as he began to writhe. The Common's of his mind-scaped Tower began to fade in and out of existence.

Outside their shared thoughts, Raven felt their body almost slipping into particles, before a wave of pain drove the air from their lungs, pulling it back into structure. The Sakutia virus was protecting its host, and by extension, her, even as she was healing him. Almost as worrisome, he appeared mentally unaffected by the harm that was afflicting his body, almost numb.

'Guilt,' she thought, sensing his emotions.

She was suddenly remembering words her late mentor, Azar of Azarath, had said to her during one of their sessions. ' _Guilt leads to loathing ones self. Loathing leads to self-hate. Self-hate leads to self-destruction. And self-destruction, Raven, doesn't necessarily require any action on our part. The body has ways of destroying itself, even if we do nothing to stimulate this effect._ _A strong enough sense of guilt can do more damage to you than any spell you know, so you must be careful to deal with it swiftly, before it takes root in your Soul._ '

She had come to understand those words on the day she was doomed to end the world. The guilt of having her friends fighting to save her, the guilt of hiding, the guilt of a destiny that seemed more and more likely to occur. It was a steep descent that lead her to giving in to Trigon. Becoming the demon's portal to this dimension; down a path of self-destruction.

And Garfield had his rooted incredibly deep.

"Show it to me," she demanded, looking up into his eyes. "Show me what happened to them."

He pulled away, shaking his head profusely, closing his eyes as the images and memories he tried to shut out began pouring in. "I-I can't Rae. I-I don't want to see it ag-"

A pull, like a black hole, ripped apart the mindscape, tossing them through emptiness. Cold, stinging winds pulled the air out of their lungs, biting cruelly at them until their skin prickled.

As if being pulled to a planet by gravity, a whole new memory began to shape around them, rushing them toward the ground.

 _Thwack!_ Raven's mental ribs cried as she hit a tree branch, flipping around before falling back-first through a layer of smaller branches and leaves. She finally got a grip on her power, but not before smacking her head into another branch as she began to float.

Hissing at the smarting pain on her head, she absently began looking around as she rubbed the swelling bump. Beast Boy was no where in sight.

Glancing around, she could tell the memory was still in Africa. The impression of the previous memory left no doubt there. The humidity made her feel like she was sweating, and the musty scent that clung to the air left a strangely fresh taste in her mouth, like newly churned dirt. Even the insects buzzing around added to the feel of the memory.

'It's amazingly detailed,' she thought, glancing at a strange flower, observing even the fiber strands that held it together. But then again, people tended to absorb more than they realized. The average memory distance spanned approximately twenty feet around the person in question, whether or not they could process it all. Beast Boy's memory distance seemed easily eight times, maybe more, than the average. To say the least, she was thoroughly impressed; and by Beast Boy none-the-less.

"Mommy, look!" That squeal of delight was higher pitched, but unmistakable. Raven immediately began moving toward the sound, which became punctualized by the excessive chirping of a bird.

"That's great sweetie," she heard respond, the voice familiar as she floated closer.

The chirping stopped as Raven floated up to the edge of a river, the water a gentle flow of muddy murk that left all to the imagination as to what inhabited it's waters. Out over the slothing waters, a medium-sized motor boat moved slowly with the current, basking under an afternoon sun. It was occupied by two people, and a third morphed from it's small avian form onto the small deck.

"Can I turn into a fish?" the small changeling asked for permission, looking no older than he had been in the first memory, albeit, his entire complexion green.

"Not today," a man stated, seated in a chair at the helm, his back to the others as he guided the boat. "We don't know what's in the water, and we won't be able to keep track of you. We'd rather not have a crocodile eat ya kiddo."

"Okay." Raven wasn't close enough to see it, but somehow, she knew that the young Beast Boy's pointed ears were drooping.

He suddenly perked back up. "What about a falcon? Or a kestrel? Or-or-"

"Calm down Garfield," the woman said with a laugh. "Turn into something you like."

He thought for a moment before he shifted with a smile, a little green hummingbird straffing the air with it's rapid wing beats. It squeaked a chirp before flying around the woman's head excitedly.

Raven was close now, hovering just over the water as she approached the boat. The woman was so familiar. And the man was becoming more so as well.

The woman's laugh cut Raven's thoughts off. With a small smile, the sorceress watched as the little hummingbird nibbled playfully at his mothers pulled-back brown hair. He buzzed this way and that, sometimes flying and sometimes dancing in the air, but every move he made was filled with… joy.

Pure, unrefined, infallible joy.

He was green, recently the product of a virus and an untested serum, and he could shapeshift. The pain he must have felt as his genetics were rewritten. But it was as if none of it had ever happened. He was just… Beast Boy.

"Marie, are we sure this is the right way?" the man asked, eyeing an open map next to the boat's steering wheel. "None of these bends look right."

'Marie?' Raven thought numbly, a sense of impending dread building up in her chest. 'Marie Logan?'

Marie gently shooed her flitting son away from her face before she got up, looking over the man's shoulder. "Where are we? Should we stop and ask for directions?"

The man gave her a humored look at her sarcasm, suggesting that this had been an issue in the past. "According to the map, we should be… here." He pointed to a spot that Raven couldn't see. "But with the way the river is winding, we'd be in the middle of land if this map is any indication."

"Hmm, maybe we should turn around then," she suggested teasingly, kissing him lightly on the brow.

"Ewww!" Garfield whined, returning to human form. "Mom, don't kiss dad. I might get coodies from watching."

"Then don't watch," the man stated simply, kissing her back full on the mouth.

"Bleeeh! I'm never kissing a girl," the changeling declared, squatting into a sitting position as he turned away.

"Don't knock it 'til you try it, kiddo," was the response. "Well, we did get to see a lot of the river. We can figure out what's up with the map when we get back to-"

Almost immediately, the boat began to _chug_ , sputtering for a moment before the engine suddenly died.

"What did you do, Mark?" Marie asked, frowning slightly.

"I didn't do anything," he said, steering the boat carefully so it would drift toward the bank. "I knew I should have checked the engine before we left."

'Mark,' Raven thought. 'Mark and Marie Logan.'

' _About twelve years ago, they both died in a boating accident_ ,' Cyborg's voice echoed through her head.

Garfield was suddenly up front, his ears tweeking slightly. "Momma, why is there a lot of crashing up ahead."

"Crashing?" Mark asked, his brows furrowing in a way Raven found familiar. His eyes suddenly widened as he turned to his wife, his voice barely audible. "Marie, the falls."

"The what?" Garfield asked, unaware of the dominoing fear that was being emitted by his parents as both of them caught on to their plight. Even the river seemed to pick up speed as the revelation dawned in their eyes.

"Garfield, sweetie," Marie said hastily as she bent to one knee, her hands alighting gently to her son's shoulders. "Let's play a game."

Garfield's face lit up. "What kind of game?"

Raven felt her stomach lurch as she watched the innocence on his face. Her lip trembled, and she want to shout, to use her powers to help… but it was a memory. It had already happened.

Marie somehow managed a deceptively calm smile. "I want you to race to that tree," she said, pointing out some ways upriver. "Fly around it three times, and race back. I'll keep time. We'll see if you are getting better with your new shapes, okay?"

"Okay!" he shouted, jumping off the side of the boat fearlessly as he shifted into a falcon, his wings suddenly beating fiercely.

"Get set, go," Marie whispered, watching him fly away before she finished. Wiping the building tears from her eyes she turned back to Mark. "Can we get to the shore?"

"The current's picking up," Mark growled, straining to maintain the diagonal course of the boat as he aimed for shore. The boat groaned its protest, but it seemed to hold steady.

Raven was suddenly pulled away, the memory distance fading away as she was suddenly alighted next to a racing green falcon, in a hurry to get to his goal mark. She watched him sadly, unable to process her own emotions as she smothered them brutally, not wanting to think about what was happening.

She suddenly saw a shift in his eyes as something caught on, some understanding clicked. His wing beats slowed, before he shot upward, climbing swiftly. He turned, hovering in position as his raptor gaze seemed to shoot across the river and ahead. A cry of alarm shrieked from his mouth as his eyes widened. His wings buckled, and he dove.

Raven wanted to close her eyes as she was pulled with the green bird's sudden speed increase. She could feel it physically, beyond their shared space of mind: his muscles straining, his lungs heaving, and his heart beat screaming as he rocketed downward, his current body emulating that which was felt in the memory. At the pitfall of his dive he shifted, a smaller bird suddenly taking form just above the water, splitting ripples in his wake as he flew just as faster than he dove.

He was caught up in almost no time. But the river… the current was still picking up, and the boat was having a hard time maintaining it's intended course.

His chirped in alarm, flying up next to the boat. Mark Logan was still furiously holding the wheel, trying to keep it steady while Marie glanced up, her eyes widening as her son pulled along side the boat.

"Garfield, no! Go back!" she yelled over the growing thunder of water.

Raven watched as he tried to change mid-air. She recognized the features that were trying to break through his small form as he tried to become bigger. The half-shifted form of a crocodile, then a hippo, then a shark as he pushed into the boat's side, trying to accelerate its guidance to land. But each time he quickly regressed back into the little bird, unable to take the form he desired.

"Garfield, please, go to shore!" she cried again, unable to hide her tears this time.

The little changeling refused, still trying to become something bigger. A squid, an elephant, even a behemothian creature Raven didn't recognize. Still, he was pulled back into a little bird.

"Garfield! FLY!"

His pupil overtook his eye as his wings suddenly shot out, catching an updraft that sent him soaring skyward. He shook his head in confusion, and he shrieked, trying to dive back down, but….

Empty. The river had suddenly given way to a large empty void of crashing water. Raven had turned away last second, unable to bring herself to watch as the boat was pulled down by the falls, disappearing into the rising mists below.

A shriek of distress left the birds mouth, and he pulled in his wings, diving beak-first into the vapor. Raven couldn't help the pull of the memory as she followed. The mist was cold and damp, like a heavy fog. She couldn't see anything, so when she sensed Beast Boy pulling out of his dive, the sudden stop was jarring.

"Mommy! Dad!" he shouted as he swiftly turned back into a human. Raven could hear the fear, and the sorrow, that was building up in her friend as he searched frantically along the thundering river bank. "Mommy! Please, where are you!?"

Raven bit back her tears as she looked down and away. She had asked for his guilt, to know what had happened to his parents. But now she couldn't even face it.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered, barely able to draw in a trembling breath.

"Why?" She looked up, the child fading away to the adult in a mirage-like fashion. Beast Boy turned back to her, tears pouring down his face. "Why did you show me that?"

She walked over, kneeling down next to him helplessly. "I didn't, but I'm sorry. I just wanted know," she said between clenched tears. "I wanted to know… why you despised yourself."

She was almost knocked over in surprise as he tackled her in a hug. Her spine seized, and her muscles tensed in rebuke, but she didn't pull away; she couldn't even if she had wanted to. His arms trembled around her arms, his face finding purchase in her shoulder as the wet of his tears began to soak through her uniform.

"It's my fault," he cried aloud, clenching her a little tighter. "I couldn't… save them. I couldn't… grow bigger. I-I-" A wail of rage and despair broke out from him as his grief consumed him, the long-suppressed memories ripping into him anew like a thousand old wounds reopening.

Raven found her arms slowly slipping out of his vice, pulling his head in closer as she held him, her head gently brushing his. It may have been the Symbiotic Healing Trance, but she felt her heart lurch for him. It cried with him, it felt his sobs as her own.

"Let it out," she breathed awkwardly, gently rubbing his back. It was an odd experience, but that was what she assumed one did when comforting their friends.

"It wasn't your fault Garfield," she stated. "You can't blame yourself when you did everything in your power to prevent it. You were just a kid."

She felt his eyes clench as he buried them further into her collar. "But I left them!" he sobbed. "I was stupid, and I left them. I should have grown, I should have been bigger. I shouldn't have pulled up when Mom told me to fly!"

"What could you have done?" Raven asked, forcing herself into a state of calm. "Would that have changed anything? One slight difference, one additional fault in your fate, and you might have died too.

"And where would we all be if you weren't here?" she whispered gently, holding him a little tighter. "I know it hurts. I know you want to blame yourself. I know you miss them. But the simple truth is, you are not responsible for their deaths. You're alive because your mother loved you enough to send you away.

"Don't you ever doubt that. Don't you ever doubt how much she loved her… baby." Her voice was deceptively deadpan, but Raven couldn't hold it back as her own memories began to resurface painfully. She tried to hold in her tears, she'd cried enough recently; but something about those words tore a hole in her heart. Her own thoughts muddled as those memories started clawing there way out.

He snorted an inhale, trying to suck back the threat of a runny nose as he breathed deeply. "I just… I miss them so much," he sniffed, quickly swallowing the bile that now inhabited the back of his throat. "I tried but-"

The world burst apart, cutting off anything more the changeling had to say. The black hole sensation returned, from which only the forefront of thoughts could escape as both Raven and Beast Boy were tossed back and forth once more unto the void. But this time, they held on. Nothing was separating them inside their minds again.

Again, a memory opened up underneath them as they rushed toward it; falling toward a world of paradisaical white and gold.

* * *

 **A/N:** Onward, Chapter 14! Be swift in thine depository to the Fanfic site.

Forever again, if there is anything that needs edited, or is connecting in a weird way for you guys, let me know and I'll try to clean up the text. I do accept grammar and spelling errors too (PM these if possible, and I'll add them to my next Hard Edit)

As always (and I'll just keep posting this because its true), keep posting your constructive criticisms, as they will help me know what to look for in my future writings, and for the days I decide to do a hard edit. I look forward to growing as a writer for you guys and myself.

I hope you guys enjoyed my translation and understanding of Beast Boy's parents death. I was going to add more to the scene (like him actually finding their bodies as a repressed part of the memory), but I felt it would take away from the scene rather than add to it. Hope I was right.

 _Tamaranian Translations (Original Translation)_ **:**

 _None this week!_

(Review Response disclaimer: I ramble sometimes. That's just me being excited. If I don't ramble, I'm still excited, just calm. Also, I have a "different" sense of humor. I swear it's not you, it's completely and utterly me.)

And now for the new _Reviews Responses_ :

\- Madison Futch: Glad to hear it.

\- Ragnaroll: My main concept for a younger Beast Boy was actually taken from the Teen Titans Go! comic (the one that was created alongside the 2003-2006 series), showing that young Beast Boy had a pronounced lower canine that became a fang after his transformation (this may have just been used to help the audience identify him, so I used it for much the same reason). Hope that helps explain my befuzzlement.

\- AWESOMEROCKSTAR101: Thank you very much, and I hope you enjoy this update as well.

\- wigglewolf27: The 'Guest' Review was YOU! No problems. Just to be that one guy, here's another cliff-hanger (heheheh!). Hopefully I can keep further chapters just as content filled (and still leave you on the edge of your seat) as this one. In the meantime, I'll just keep reeling you in... or I'll try to anyway.

\- FF8cerberus: Spoilers! I'll keep my fingers still (ha, get it!) for fear of ruining anything

\- MrSadTeddyBear: What happened to hate the story not the author? (*flabbergasted expression). Haha, no I get it. This is me and every Terry Goodkind book I ever read.

P.S. I dare

\- jensen6: Yay!

\- Eris: Sorry about that. Was there something specific, or was it just the whole thing in general? If it was confusing or messy, I'd like to go back through it and make it less so. If it was just complex, that's okay and I'll leave it. Provoking deep-thought is one of my goals for my story.

\- Addison Fitz: In what way if I might ask? And how good was it? Personally, I'm not even sure which part your talking about (*revels in the fact that he hid story content even from himself*)

*End of Review Response

Onward! Oh my! After such a heart-breaking scene, where are our heroes going next? And so soon. What awaits them? And what memories will surface because of it? Find out next time on Falling Apart Chapter 15 :D


	16. Chapter 15

Chapter 15:

* * *

 **A/N:** It's been a pretty good week so far. Work might be picking up here soon, so I may end up putting out chapters later than normal. Apologies ahead of time.

Week sixteen...four months (about?). A little over one-third of a year. Wow, that's... a lot.

We're at sixty Reviews ("Another jump of nine...maybe I should just keep socking you guys in the Feels?"), fifty-five Favorites, sixty-two Followers, and over eighty-five hundred views ("And it keeps on growing. It keeps up like this, we'll hit ten-thousand views in no time"). (P.S. I use this particular note as a kind of mile stone for myself). If I had more illustrious words of thanks, I'd give them. But for now, I'll just have to say, "Thank you." You guys keep making this journey more an adventure than a trek.

Don't forget to post any QCC so I can post responses (Note to audience, the longer the QCC, the longer I'm compelled to make my response. Do with that what you will)

Disclaimer: Unfortunately, the only deed and title I own of Teen Titans is currently written in crayon... Seems legit.

Without further adieu. *Que the dimming of the lights*

* * *

Falling Apart:

Chapter 15-

" _Oomph_!" Beast Boy exhaled, landing painfully on a blindingly shiny floor that looked like Cyborg had buffed it out. He moaned, shaking his head to rid himself of the free-fall sensation that was pushing his stomach into where his brain should be.

'Oh, so that's what they mean by thinking with your stomach,' he thought absently, wiping his eyes with one of his gloves, the other probing his ribs for breakage. None so far, but he was still sore, like "Star alien-judo flipped him" sore.

Passively, he sat up as he glanced around, his grievances nearly forgotten in light of this new place.

It was huge, easily larger than the Tower's Common Room, but more filled. And circular. One...corner? side? arc? of the room was occupied by a large white bed, framed by something like alabaster stone, and curtained all-round by some softer fabric. Maybe linen? Beast Boy didn't know but it was fancy.

Next to it were two pedestalled white statues symmetrically guarding either side of it, their features hidden behind the heavy pointed hoods of their robes. 'Kind of creepy.' Something familiar about them teased the back of the changeling's mind, but he couldn't put a finger on it.

A large white wardrobe mirrored a large white desk on either side of those. The wardrobe was elegant and hand-carved, adored with designs that Beast Boy didn't recognize. The organization of the desk reminded him a lot of Raven's, stacked with clean parchments and a couple small jars of ink, topped with the retro floof of a quill pen… that he hoped wasn't from an actual animal.

Next to the desk was a king-sized bookshelf that spanned just short of a quarter of the already huge room, making it's size that much more imposing. Every nook and cranny of the shelf was crammed; all two… four… six… eight… okay, there were a lot of shelves on it, stacking straight up from the floor and containing literature that was clearly in other languages.

Clear on the other end of the massive literary compilation was a large opening that lead to a terrace, curtained by fabrics that appeared to match those used to shy the bed.

On the other side of the terrace opening appeared to be a primitive chemistry station (also white) covered in a lush garnish of varies ingredients that seemed to hold no particular order of organization. And next to that, another small shelf that held even more ingredients, again, with an organization of no known coordination.

Beast Boy shook his head as he tried to collect his thoughts. He had taken in way too much information, and it was kind of overwhelming. But there was _more_. He closed his eyes to block out the sights, only for his nose to pick up where his eyes left off.

Numerous scents tickled his nose. Some smells were more like chemicals, with an… 'sniff, sniff' all-natural touch that said it wasn't artificially compounded. Other smells were very pungent or bitter. But something else… just underneath it all… it was a sweet aroma that made the hairs on his arms bristle excitedly, like cinnamon… or maybe lemongrass.

"Ugh," Raven groaned, causing his eyes to bolt open in shock from his aromatic enjoyment. She was prone, laying right next to him as though she had been dropped there as well.

Right. Next. To. Him.

He sucked in a relieved breath. Partially because Raven hadn't disappeared, and partially because they hadn't made physical contact. He'd seen enough cartoons to know that a simple misunderstanding could potentially be the death of him. He glanced eerily at the open terrace, half-wondering how many stories he would fall if Raven threw him over the edge. He wasn't keen on finding out.

" _Owww_ ," she hissed, opening her confused gaze as she glanced around from her floor-bound position.

"Hey there sleepy head," Beast Boy grinned. "Glad you're finally awake."

"Finally?" Her brows furrowed inquisitively. "What do yo-?"

"You've been asleep Rae" he said, his face turning suddenly grim.

"How long?" she asked. When he hesitated, she began to panic. "How long?!"

"I'm not sure about in a dream," he explained, looking down solemnly, "but it felt like weeks."

Her eyes widened as she looked at him, trying as she might to understand. A weight of desperation fell on her chest. "Seriously?"

"Nope."

They stared eye to eye, unblinking, blankly drawn in the silence that ticked by like the periods of a continued sentence.

Slowly, a smile began to creep upon Beast Boy's face until he was grinning like a little boy.

"You…" Raven hesitated, her face contorting angrily as she tried to formulate an intelligent insult. "… you over pretentious, under precocious, incorrigibly precarious, son-of-a-!"

The insult died on her lips as she realized who else she would be insulting. And given her recent exploration of his memory, she held her tongue in check. It was still too fresh for her, so she had no doubt it was far worse for Beast Boy.

Beast Boy's ears drooped slightly, but quickly began wiggling as his mask emerged from his features. "Not sure what that all means, but it's barely been a couple minutes. No worries."

She looked at him, a softer gaze touching her features. "You don't have to pretend it didn't hurt, Garfield. Not around me. I'm sorry if I hurt you, but please tell me if I did."

He smiled, his eyes almost twinkling. "Nah, I'd know if ya meant it."

"How?" she demanded.

"Simple: you wouldn't have apologized if you meant it," he replied, as though it were no more concerning than a gust of wind. "And you wouldn't have that look on your face."

"What look?"

"The look that says how sorry you are." He didn't stop smiling. If anything, it got bigger; touches of his emotions caressing Raven's mind like a light sugar rush.

She cleared her throat, quickly putting her thoughts into perspective before her face produced a reaction to some stray bubbling emotions she instantly identified as Happy.

"Sooo… where are we?" she asked, quickly looking around the new mental environment that she hadn't even taken the time to observed.

"No idea," he responded simply, his smile still alighted on his face as he turned away, looking around with her. "Neat digs though, but a little bland for my tastes."

Raven was taken aback in surprise. "But it's your memory," she stated, "you should know this place. If you didn't remember this place, then we wouldn't be here."

"Well I don't know. This is all kind of-" He stopped when he turned to her. Her eyes gazed elsewhere, her lips barely parted in surprise. Absently, she stood up, walking to a section Beast Boy hadn't taken the time to look at.

A small shrine-like set up was erected, the white base giving way to a small globe of spiralling white energy that reminded Beast Boy of an inverse of one of Raven's portals. White claw-like pillars supported it without making contact, as if they held it through sheer force of will.

But Raven didn't pay any mind to the shrine. Instead, she bent down at one of it's legs, and picked something up.

"I know where we are," she stated simply. She revealed the object she held, displaying it with surprising gentleness.

It was nothing Beast Boy had ever seen. A distinct stitchpunk plushie that appeared to be some mutant strained crossbreed between a cat and something that had spines… or quills, with over-sized claws and multiple tails. While clearly disproportionate in size due to its stuffed nature, Beast Boy analyzed it all the same, wondering where such a creature called home.

"Um, where?"

Raven glanced down at the toy with a look Beast Boy had never seen before, almost… nostalgic.

"This is one of my memories," she stated. "This is Azarath."

Beast Boy was silent for a second as he contemplated her words, biting his tongue to keep from freaking out like he usually did. "Um, not to sound self-centered, but I thought we were exploring _my_ memories."

Raven's lifted the plushie up to her chest affectionately, her chin resting on it's head in thought. "We should be. I didn't mess up the spell, and I didn't add any differing components…. Hmm."

A little bewildered by her apparent attachment to the object in her hands, and not seeking to interrupt her thoughts too much, Beast Boy got up from his seat on the ground, shaking off the numb feeling that was building up in his legs. "So, was this your room?"

Raven frowned, glancing over at him without moving from her thoughtful pose. "No. This was my living-quarters. A room implies I actually had a say in how it was decorated."

"Pfff!" he chuckled, cover his mouth a little. "Your right. There's way too much white. It needs a little color. Maybe black… or blue."

"Are you mocking my color preference?" she asked with a hint of daring.

"Me? Noooh!" he exasperated. "But I know if there was a color darker than black, you'd probably have plastered the walls with it."

She snorted as she rolled her eyes, but just as quickly faded back to worry and intrigue. "I don't know which memory this is. I spent over half my life here."

"Well then, I'll consider this payment," Beast Boy teased, walking over to the books, gently brushing past their titles with his finger as he looked for something legible.

Raven waited, wondering if he was going to try and take an _imaginary_ book. That is, until she realized that this was Beast Boy she was thinking about; he wasn't a book person. "What payment?"

"You want to poke around in my head, then I get to poke around in yours," he replied, turning to show a less-than devious smile.

"I'm trying to heal you physically and emotionally. This isn't a vacation," she reprimanded.

"I don't know," he said, clearly not convinced. "This place is exotic enough to be a great vacation spot. Heck, it beats Tokyo. Besides, do _you_ know how to get back to my memories? What memories are we supposed to explore?"

She sighed in mild defeat. "No, I don't know how to return to your memories. And if my theory is correct, I need to guide you through memories that made you feel… well… guilty."

He paused his literary browsing, glancing back at Raven with a sad look on his face, his body reflecting his visage with a bursting writhe that Raven felt through their conjoined physiques with a concealed wince. "That… may take a while. But if it's all the same, I'd like to take a moment after the last one."

Raven nodded her understanding, glancing down at the plush doll in her hands. He wasn't objecting. Most people would withdraw from guilt, whether they deserved it or not. Who would want to share something that makes them so… vulnerable.

"Can I ask why my guilt-memories?" he asked, his tone as inquiring as it was dripping with caution, like he didn't know how much he should ask, much less if he _should_ ask.

Raven sighed, knowing they would have breached this sooner or later. "Physical health can be affected by a number of things, Beast Boy. Including our overall emotional state." She pulled her stuffed companion closer, as if she were a little girl again, dreading her next words. "I felt your emotional core; the depth of your guilt, and sorrow, and anger. For a normal person, they would get sick. With your already unstable genetics, my theory is that your DNA began to unravel."

He sat there, providing a rare moment of silence from him as he mulled over her words. She couldn't read him, as if he were consciously blocking her out. He didn't seem angry that she had glanced at his emotions without asking, but it was hard to tell with his deceptively blank expression.

"Why now?" he finally asked. "It could have happened any time before, so why am I breaking now?"

"I don't know," she answered honestly. "I don't know the _why's_ , but it's happening now, whether we like it or not. There isn't really an optimal time for this to happen. If I can….

"What I'm asking is, will you let me help?" She observed him for a response. "I know it's not something you may want to show me, but if I can help it, I don't want you to suffer with this. No one was made to hold the world on their shoulders."

He looked at her, his face betraying just a portion of the depths he wanted to remain hidden; an inkling of the things he had suffered through. "You think it will help stop the… shifting? The pain? Showing you my… guilt… and sadness?"

"I hope so," she answered.

He only thought about it for a moment before he turned to her, a small smile alighting on his face. "Okay."

A wordless exchange commenced. Raven felt honored, immensely so, that he would trust her with his well-being, especially given how rocky their relationship had been over the past several years. They were… best friends to her mind, but to clarify how much he was willing to accept her intervention was as close to a reciprocation of her feelings as he could probably show. Beast Boy felt relieved, maybe not in the way one would think. He didn't know what methods she was applying to heal him, or what she had done to enter his mind; but he trusted her. Wholly; explicitly. He didn't have an answer as to why, but every instinct in his primal being accepted her words, without question, even when she seemed to believe it was his life at stake.

That realization impressed upon him: He trusted her with his life.

"So, how do you press 'Play' on this thing? Is there an imaginary controller or something?" he asked, scratching his arm nervously as he glanced at the limited world around them.

As if on que, a door opened on the other side of the room, startling both Titans to attention, as though they had been caught red-handed. "Raven? Are you in here?"

"On the terrace!" a stoic voice raised from outside.

The first speaker was a woman, easily in her sixties, maybe seventies; yet her stature still spoke of imposing authority, and her white hair of ascended wisdom. She was dressed in billowed red robes, the lining etched with glimmering gold designs, only complimented by the scarce but striking gold necklace and rings she wore.

Even Beast Boy, who knew little to nothing about magic (did his years of Elder Scrolls count?), could sense the impending aura about her that set his instincts in a perpetual retreat. Like she was a predator that easily out-apexed his most advanced and powerful forms. He felt like… prey. Despite the knowledge that this was only a memory, he felt his primal-self prowling nervously, unsure of how to broach the person he beheld.

"Who's that?" he asked, turning to glean an answer from Raven. She was occupied, a trickling silver stream running down her cheek emotionlessly. "Are you okay, Rae?"

"Yeah," she stated numbly, the context of her tears outshining her expression with bold contrast. "That's Azar, the spiritual leader of Azarath and… my mentor. She taught me everything I know about controlling my powers.

"Seeing her again- knowing that I still remember like this- it's like I-" Raven growled listlessly in frustration as the words abandoned her.

Beast Boy stood in shock, mostly because Raven rarely made her frustrations known until she was threatening to send him to another dimension, but mostly that she had suddenly lost her ability to formulate a full sentence. "You must think highly of her."

Azar walked past them and out onto the terrace, her gait poised and endearing. Beast Boy gently followed, but Raven caught his arm, holding him back.

"If-if I ask you to look away, will you?" Raven asked, nervousness practically evaporating off of her stoic visage. "Like I said, I don't know which memory this is."

"Just say the word," he affirmed, smiling kindly as he detached, grabbing Raven's hand in return as he began to guide the both of them outside the room.

'He-heh-he's h-holding our h-HAND!' Timid and Happy chorused internally. Timid fainted while Happy began spinning like a tornado ballerina.

'Squeeze it back,' Brave dared.

'He's not really holding our hand,' Envy pouted, 'his glove is still on.'

Raven was glad this was a memory-walk, lest she destroy everything around her from the burst of emotions running wild. She was trying to suppress and tame them quickly, but they felt so tangible, there was no guarantee that the Med-Bay wouldn't be destroyed once they had separated.

"Azar, look!"

They arrived outside, and Raven couldn't help but smiled as Beast Boy sucked in a breath. The sheer enormity of the city could be put into words, but it's beauty could not. Azarath, home to skyscraping towers of shimmering white and gold and expansive bridges and roads that almost seemed to bend out of reality. Distantly, droves of woodland and forests spread as far as the eye could see, and even still, the horizon seemed so expansive, bending with the contortion of the world. The azure sky was tinted with the colors of orange and cherry sherbert colored clouds caused by a setting sun. And the way the air smelled, even if it was only a memory, was as clear as a mountain, free of the polluted particles that made up much of Earth's atmosphere.

Beast Boy quickly pulled himself from the grandeur of Azarath, looking back down at… Raven?

She was so much shorter, but almost no different than the kid Raven he had seen following the end of the world. Except, her hair was cut shorter… there was that. Thankfully her clothing of preference was indeed her usual dark colors. Beast Boy didn't know if he could handle any more white in association with Raven. It just wasn't her color. But turning to his side, Raven was still there. He looked quickly back and forth between the two of them. 'Yep, this is weird. Like a bad time-travel joke,' he thought.

"What is it Raven?" Azar asked, walking over next to her. She followed her pointing finger and chuckled to herself. "What do you see my dear?"

Beast Boy felt Raven's hand clench in his, causing him to stiffen reflexively, suddenly aware of the… he gulped… physical contact. But he wasn't being thrown over the edge, and just from a passive glance... that was a _really_ long way down.

"'My dear'," Raven whispered wistfully, her eyes not leaving her mentor.

"The festival," short Raven explained, still completely stoic, her pointed finger unwavering. "Can I go?"

Azar didn't miss a beat as she smiled at her pupil. "Are you ready to go? Do you have control?"

Little Raven hesitated, her finger drooping. "I-I don't know," she whispered, betraying a shrivel of emotion that shot a small spark of black energy from the top of her head.

"Then maybe next year," Azar offered kindly.

Dejected, little Raven's shoulders slumped, glancing down at a sight that neither Raven nor Beast Boy could apparently see, as if it were hidden within the city.

Beast Boy pulled away, walking over to the child Raven as she glanced solemnly at the city. Raven watched as he put a hand on her younger-self's shoulder, her own shoulder humming gently.

"It's a memory Beast Boy," she explained. "You can't interact with it."

"Hey there," he said, ignoring her completely. "I'm going to tell you this even though you'll only hear it, what, ten years later? One day _,_ you're gonna have lots of friends, and they'll take you to the festival. There will be sweets, and games, and prizes. Oh! And rides too. Avoid the Twizzler Spizzler though. That thing could make the consumed murderfest inside Cyborg's iron stomach hit the emergency eject button. Other than that, no worries. Who knows, maybe some handsome green stud will win you a giant chicken."

Raven rolled her eyes as she glanced at her past self with a smile. 'It's all true,' she thought. 'Well… most of it. The 'handsome' and 'stud' is cosmically exaggerated, but we really do make a lot of friends. I wish I could tell you that.

'And I still have that chicken,' she smiled in afterthought.

To Raven's surprise, Azar turned her head lightly, glancing at Beast Boy warily.

'That's… that's impossible,' she thought, eyeing between her old mentor and her friend. 'This is just a memory.'

"Come child," Azar said with a mild beckon of her hand, an eye still on Beast Boy, "there is still much for you to learn."

Raven remembered this memory now. This was the year she-

Azar frowned as she inconspicuously waved an enchanting hand in Beast Boy's direction and the background faded like ink in running water. Faded into just a few short hours later.

'That's...that's...' She breathed, controlling her confusion and complete shock at what had just happened. 'Azar could see him. How?'

They now stood amidst an ocean of bright lights and people, strung across buildings and small stands, a vibrancy of festivity. Stalls lined the streets, vendors selling their wares; from homemade treats, to exquisite craftsmanship, to delicate finery.

The crowd of robed acolytes suddenly made Raven self-conscious of how uncomfortable people made her, even if they were only a memory, a complex dream. And as such, it was an eerie relief whenever one of the many people passed by, their memory shaped bodies slipping straight through her otherwise solid forms, like ghosts. It reminded her, grounded her to that fact. But it didn't allow her confusion to fade away.

Beast Boy paid her and the surrounding people no mind, completely enamoured by the multi-colored glass orbs that were the lights. Inside, the bulbs seemed to be made up of much smaller lights, slowly moving around their small confinement.

"Lightning bug larvae," Raven said in response to Beast Boy's wide and wonderous eyes. "They're quite a pest when they mature, attracting storms and stuff, but when they are this young, they make great decorations."

"Wait," Beast Boy halted, "you mean lightning bug, like 'lightning' lightning."

Raven nodded. "Yeah, fireflies are much weaker descendants of these. They evolved with the times, but these have been carefully bred to preserve their current evolution."

"Woah," Beast Boy whispered, stepping up to a stall to glance inside one of hundreds of tiny glass bulbs. "Dude, that's cool. I wonder if I can turn into one."

He looked just like a little kid, browsing for candy. Raven half-expected him to lose interest after a few minutes, they were bugs after all; to her surprise, he took the chance to look at as many as he could, muttering something about 'evolutionary distance' and 'common ancestry' under his breath.

A crash interrupted her amusement, pulling her back to the reality at hand. This was a memory; her memory.

"I-I'm sorry."

"Move you clumsy- You!"

Beast Boy's ears twitched, a thuuming growl rising sharply as his head whipped around.

A young Raven sat prone on the ground, the contents of some shop's delectable cooking spilled hazardously all over and around her. He almost didn't recognize her, dressed as she was in a now stained bright white cloak. But her purple hair and amethyst eyes were unmistakable.

"What are _you_ doing here?" the man demanded, the empty tray in his hand evidence of his lost wares.

People around them had begun to stop and stare, whatever the joyous occasion swiftly brought to halt by mutual anger and disgust.

Raven whimpered, holding back her feelings just as Azar had taught her. "I-I j-just wanted to see the f-festival," she stuttered nervously.

"The festival doesn't need any demon spawn. Get out of here!"

"Asshole," Beast Boy growled, making a half-step forward that had him almost on top of the offender. "She can't help it if-"

A black clawed hand shot out, wrapping around his mid-section to hold him fast. He turned to see Raven's hand cast out, surrounded by her dark projecting aura.

"Calm down Beast Boy. It's just a memory," she stated, her voice void of… anything.

"But… he's hurting you," he said, his voice almost desperate. "You can't help being born part demon. And you're just a kid." He began struggling, trying to push and pull his body out of her extended grasp. "Let go, Rae!"

She complied, half-expecting him to pounce on the Azarathian to no avail as his body would pass through the apparition. Instead, he wrapped his arms around the Raven-child protectively, unable exert force on the memory, but still able to make contact with it. He glared at the man, quickly turning back to the little Raven.

Raven watched her younger self, the faint sensation of being held touching her flesh, as if it had always been there… but had faded to the background. It was… kind, and warm. And angry.

A faint energy came off the man, the color of turquoise, wisping like smoke instead of solid and black like Raven's energy. He nodded his head up, a wind-like wave of his power lifting the young sorceress into the air clean out of Beast Boy's arms.

She yelped, continuing to hold back her emotions as she was held suspended by his power. "Please stop!" she cried.

Beast Boy's head darted around, looking for someone… _anyone_ … who could help her. All he saw were malevolent eyes, and the occasional sneer.

Tears formed in the younger Raven's eyes, barely holding in her sobs.

"Raven!" Beast Boy called, looking around desperately. "How do I help her?"

Her eyes met his, and for the first time, he seemed to get it. "You can't do anything Garfield. This already happened to me," she said with a weak smile.

"I… said… STOOOOOP!" Raven screamed. A raven-shaped shadow ripped out of her, it's feathers becoming elongated tentacles that shot out toward her oppressor wrapping around him so quickly, he didn't even notice until he was being hoisted into the air. His power ceased, but she didn't fall, floating in place as her eyes sparked to life and her soiled cloak billowed through windless air like the waves of an ocean.

"Raven." The voice was stern, but soft.

The young sorceress's power disappeared as she whipped around wide-eyed with fear, dropping her otherwise suspended prey to the ground with a grunt. A single white robed figure stooding out amidst the other white robes, and Beast Boy could have sworn she looked familiar. Dark hair, a strangely forced monotone, piercing blue eyes that held an almost supernatural sense of intellect about their irises.

"Arella," Raven said, gently floating back down to earth.

Beast Boy looked to present-Raven for clarity, but she didn't acknowledge his silent inquiry, continuing to watch unfazed.

The figure looked past Raven, glancing at the downed man intently. "Are you alright Brother Menarth?"

He _pssh_ ed her concern, taking a wobbly start to stand to his feet. "That's right. Control your spawn, Roth."

A few in the crowd, though part of Raven's harassment, were suddenly sucking in their breaths sharply.

"When one is reborn as an Azarathian, they leave behind their old lives. They take on new hearts and new names," Raven stated for clarification. "To refer to one's old name is considered among the highest of insults. But some people...had a harder time reforming than others. Brother Menarth was one of them."

"Well I have a few choice names for _him_ ," Beast Boy muttered back, earning him half a smile he never saw.

"Please, Brother. There is no need for your anger," the figure known as Arella spoke. "The child's disruption of your festive spirit was an accident. Will you not forgive her?"

"No," Menarth stated plainly. "The child is an abomination. A perversion of all that is whole and good in Azarath. And as her carrier, you are no different. For the woman who denied her hellspawn, you came to her rescue swiftly."

"Carrier?" Beast Boy asked, looking absolutely lost.

"My mother."

His half-gapped mouth clammed up, and his eyes slowly turned back to the woman, then back to Raven, then back and forth quickly. He could see the resemblance. Not all of it; given Raven was a half-demon with purple hair, violet eyes, ashy skin, cute- "Oh," was all he managed in response, his mind reeling as his thoughts caught up with his brain.

"I do what is the will of Azar," Arella stated plainly back. "Can you say the same? I would think your violence does more insult to what is pure in Azarath than this child's lineage."

The silence that persisted would have shut even the old Beast Boy's rampant mouth. It was oppressive, almost suffocating as it drew out until it began ringing static, white noise that none dared to interrupt for fear of becoming an unwitting target.

"Come, child," Arella said, holding out a hand to Raven. Reluctantly, she complied, grasping her hand in a terrified grip that only a child could achieve. Without looking back, she guided her away.

The scene jumped, startling Beast Boy as he clutched his chest in fright. "Daaang," he drew out. "That was intense."

"It wasn't even the worst part," Raven stated, causing Beast Boy to glance around until he found her younger counterpart again.

They were in the middle of a park, the skyrises looming over the green grass, centering around a circular fountain that gurgled streams like a gentle brook, with darkened paths going every which way from it's serene waters. Both Raven and her birth mother were seated in the cool shade on a bench crafted of the same white-gold material of the towers.

"Does Azar know you are down here?" Arella asked, watching Raven kindly for a response.

The young sorceress shook her head guiltily, staring down at her boots as she nervously kicked them together, her feet not quite long enough to touch the ground.

"And where did you get the clothes? I wasn't aware white was apart of your wardrobe."

Raven looked down and away. "I borrowed them," she muttered.

"You what?" Arella asked, more insisting on the full truth than she was surprised.

"Okay! I stole them!" Raven admitted aloud, tears coming to her eyes as the fountain water began to steam darkly. "But how else was I supposed to go?! Everyone would recognize me if I wore my own robes!"

"And why would that be bad?" Arella asked, her patience and consideration a marvel to Beast Boy. Then again, she was Raven's mom. A few memories of his own mother's god-like patience surfaced, and he hid the smile that threatened to emerge on his face. This was a serious moment, and he didn't want to make light of it.

"Because no one likes me," she replied softly. "They call me monster, and demon, and spawn when Azar isn't around."

Arella sat, waiting for her to continue, her attention unwavered from the little girl next to her.

"Dang Rae," Beast Boy said, interrupting the silence. "You know how to make an argument. What are you, five? Six? And you were a little sneak thief! I mean, it's terrible, but kind of adorable."

The older Raven just smiled numbly, looking on at her memory with some faint gleam of what was already past.

"Are you really my carrier?" Raven asked as the memory persisted, looking up at Arella expectedly.

Beast Boy found himself holding his breath in anticipation, feeling like he was watching an intense, but real-life, TV show. The suspense was churning his stomach. He looked at Raven for any hint of what was to come, only for his ears to droop. Her respiration was caught in her throat, her teeth slightly clenched behind closed lips, and eyes unblinking. All these little things he saw… sensed. She was waiting for something terrible to happen. And he didn't know what to do.

"I was," Arella stated.

"Then does that make you my mother?" she asked back.

Arella's back tensed just enough for Beast Boy to notice. Even young, Raven was smart. It didn't surprise him that she had connected the dots so quickly, but he didn't think that warranted a reaction like that from the woman who had given birth to her.

"No…," she answered.

Beast Boy felt his heart sink for Raven, glancing to his side as he watched her eyes mist over hazily. He wanted to hold her and tell her it was okay, but… who could say that to their own kid? He wasn't okay with it, so he knew Raven was fairing far worse.

"…That woman has long since died. I am what was ascended from her," Arella finished. "I am sorry child, but I am not her."

This didn't seem to matter to Raven. She had made the connection. She understood far better than anyone should at her age. And Arella's explanation didn't stop her tears from falling.

"But why?" she sobbed desperately. "If you were my carrier, then doesn't that make you my mother?"

"I'm afraid it does not," Arella said, looking away.

The fountain waters boiled, the walkways cracked, and the grass died all at once. The shadows of the near-faded sun deepened into pitch black, creating pools of swirling energy.

Sucking up her tears, Raven pulled her stained white hood back over her head. "Fine!" she spat bitterly. "Who needs you anyway!"

A black shadow enveloped around her, pulling it into its embrace before she disappeared into the ground below.

All at once they were back in Raven's "living-quarters" as she stepped out of her shadow, watching as she slumped over to the shrine, picked up the plushie cat-thing, and hobbled up to her bed. She crawled underneath the covers, curling up as she snuggled to her stuffed companion. She began to cry silently, her freshest set of fallen tears touching Beast Boy's nose, salting the air with their scent. Even as she cried, small cracks began appearing in the walls, as if mirroring her broken little heart.

"I'm sorry, Rae," he said, his face caught up in the gloom. He half-consciously side-stepped closer to her, gently brushing her shoulder with his own. He wasn't comfortable hugging her, respecting her need for distance, but he didn't want her to feel alone either. "I'm… I'm here. If ya need anythi- Woah!"

For the 'nth time that day, Raven had initiated first contact. Her arms wrapped around his neck in a hold that bordered comfort and being strangled. He hesitated the return but began to slowly wrap his arms around her shoulders. He supposed it was fine, as long as she hugged him first.

"Are you o… uh, nix that," he said, dropping the question before it came to completion. 'Your hugging me. Of course you're not okay.'

Raven seemed to realize the position they were in and quickly pulled away. "Sorry. I didn't mean to do that."

"Hey, Rae," he said gently. "I'd need a hug after that too. Do you want to talk about it?"

She was quiet. Quieter than normal, as if the life had slipped out of her breathing. His ears flicked, listening for the faintest signs of life. When her heartbeat reached his ears, his own began to slow down, recovering from a jolt of adrenaline.

"Is it about your mom?"

"She's not my mom!" she snapped as she suddenly glared at him, the mental scape of her memory distorting and fading into a misty fog. "She said so herself! She's just like everyone else!"

That didn't sit right with Beast Boy. At least, not all of it. "I know Raven. But she's not like everyone else. She listened to you, didn't she? She didn't look at you like you were a monster."

He saw the gears turning thoughtfully in her eyes, so he pressed the matter.

"Maybe… maybe she just didn't know how to be your mom. Maybe she didn't think she deserved it."

Raven snorted. "Mother to the spawn of demon lord, Trigon. Who would think they deserved a burden like that?"

"No," Beast Boy corrected sternly. "Mother to Raven, a little girl who is lost in a place that rejects her. That Nostril, what's-his-face... guy wasn't kind to her either, so it's not like she has it easy. You both probably went through some stuff."

"You're defending her?" Raven demanded, an eye raising critically.

"No…? Yes…? Maybe," he stuttered, trying to think about what he _was_ trying to say. "I just think that she blames herself for the shit people give you.

"She could have left you alone to deal with those people, but she stepped in before you could make their misplaced anger… placed?" He looked up at her expectantly, silently asking if he was using the right words.

"Validated," Raven offered.

"Uh, sure," he replied, scratching his neck nervously. "The point being Rae, she showed that she cared in the most indirect, most round-about way she could. Like she didn't know how to be a mother, so she settled from trying to be a mentor.

"At least that's what I think," he amended. "That's just what I felt like she was expressing."

Raven smiled, her eyes saying that she didn't believe any of that for a second but appreciated his words nonetheless. But if she was honest… she didn't know. Her relationship with her mother had always been… complicated. For all she knew, Beast Boy could be right, but that didn't immediately change years of feeling otherwise.

With that thought in mind, she wondered if he truly didn't feel the guilt of his parents' deaths anymore. As unlikely as that possibility was, she hoped otherwise. Maybe he was hoping the same thing for her, that they both just spontaneously healed from years of inner turmoil.

The fog between minds was thick, billowing and shaping randomly as thoughts formed and faded.

"Yeah," he replied weakly, scratching his neck nervously. "So… why were we in your head?" His less-than-adept, and normally unwanted, change in subject was as welcome as any she could remember.

She gave him a look that said it wasn't part of the plan.

"Don't get me wrong, it's great to get to know you more, despite how shitty it was, but if we were supposed to walk into my memories, then why did we go into yours just then?" _That_ was the million-dollar question.

Rather than dwell on what went wrong, and a lot had just gone wrong, she decided to press forward. But what memories would surface in the wake of Beast Boy's? There were plenty she didn't want dredged up again. Then again, she was sure he didn't want to see or share his guilt. A little boy blaming himself for his parents' deaths was a burden in and of itself, so what else could be buried so deep?

"We can stop if you like," she offered, mostly for his sake, but also partially for hers. "I'm sure there are memories you'd rather not-"

"I'm good," he responded with a smile, a smile Raven didn't even have to pry into to know it was genuine. "The memories aren't great, but it's… lighter somehow, with someone else knowing.

"It still hurts, but I think that's to be expected. Guilt isn't a feeling that is just going to disappear because we saw or talked about it. Healing takes place over time, not instantly. Besides, you offered to heal me, so I'm taking advantage of our free sessions."

"Pretty smart for someone who acts like an imbecile," Raven stated blandly.

"Why, thank you," he said smugly, his eyes suddenly widening and his face drawing out as he caught on. "Yeah, thanks a lot," he finished sarcastically.

"Took you long enough," she said, a half-smile touching her features.

"Yeah, but if it gets you to smile," he replied, a smile of his own touching his face.

Raven's face was suddenly blank again. "I wasn't smiling."

"It was a half-smile, so I won't count it," he amended, staring straight into her eyes. "You ready?"

"For wha-?"

The mindscape contorted, the feeling of being pulled into a new memory no longer present as it bent around them like the folds of a curtain. Slowly shapes began to emerge from the non-existent ground.

"We might as well get on with it," he stated, silently trying to help her push past her memories, "and I have no idea where we're going." He wasn't one to ignore how much that must have hurt her, but he could sense, even so lightly, that it was something it would take more than just revisiting to begin healing. She wasn't as malleable emotionally as he was after all. And he knew that. He didn't want to bury it, but at the same time, he knew it wasn't something either of them were ready to discuss at length.

Raven tried to protest only for him to grab her hand as a new scene began to emerge. His smile seemed to pierce through her mind, a light in the recent dark that had made up her memory. And she understood, even if he would deny it later: he was moving on for her sake, trading her his memory so she wouldn't have to dwell on hers. For

"Garf-?"

" _Allons-y_!" he shouted, the world bending around them like the beginnings of a hurricane.

* * *

 **A/N:** And once more, another chapter is out. So how was that? Feels anyone?

Forever again, if there is anything that needs edited, or is connecting in a weird way for you guys, let me know and I'll try to clean up the text. I do accept grammar and spelling errors too (PM these if possible, and I'll add them to my next Hard Edit)

As always (and I'll just keep posting this because its true), keep posting your constructive criticisms, as they will help me know what to look for in my future writings, and for the days I decide to do a hard edit. I look forward to growing as a writer for you guys and myself.

I wrote this mostly because we don't have a large understanding of Raven's past. Beast Boy's is one of the most widely written, but when it comes to Raven's...even the comics are pretty scarce. This was more or less something I thought would shape the Raven we saw in the show, someone nervous about people when she first met the other Teen Titans. After all, it takes a special kind of rejection to help distance ourselves from other people.

I kind of have the feeling that this chapter needs a little work. It could just be me, but pretty please let me know if you guys have any tips to improve it. Like I said, it's just a feeling, but better safe than sorry.

 _Tamaranian Translations (Original Translation)_ **:**

 _None this week!_

(Review Response disclaimer: I ramble sometimes. That's just me being excited. If I don't ramble, I'm still excited, just calm. Also, I have a "different" sense of humor. I swear it's not you, it's completely and utterly me.)

And now for the new _Reviews Responses_ :

\- Junior VB: Of course not, can't give it away just like that. And yep, one of the few privileges of being a psychic-magic castor... who just happens to be an Empath.

\- wigglewolf27: I'm sorry to have broken your heart, but I haven't buried the chapter yet, so we'll hold a separate sermon for your heart. Do you want an open casket ceremony?

Jokes aside, thanks again for your Reviews. I set out to accomplish a goal, and reading what you thought of it tells me that I exceeded it. I am feeling better, and no problem with posting your Reviews so quickly. It can't be any creepier than me checking my story's status every day. Overall, sorry I'm not writing a larger response. I know you must spend a bit of time writing your Reviews, but for some reason, simple response seem to make much more sense for me to write...or maybe because there's no underlying questions? Hmm. Oh well. Until next time.

\- Chaotic. Coffee. Bean: Thank you very much. And I'm glad to have been of help :D

\- FF8cerberus: Raven cried? I think she was just feeling Beast Boy's emotions as her own, and reliving some stuff... but I suppose that's open to interpretation. We all cry differently I suppose. I'll try harder to bamboozle you. Can't have anymore expected outcomes, right? :)

\- Guest: Will do my best!

\- Curioser: Sorry, I'm unfamiliar with the term "Meta" in correlation to Fanfiction. But all the same, I _am_ having a blast, and putting in references to the show is what makes it all tie together. I can honestly say that I enjoy writing this, even if it needs some work sometimes.

\- Eris: Oh, good to know. Complex. Complex is good. Now if only I could make this into a movie...maybe a mini-series.

\- Guest: Cinnamon Roll? Also a Fanfiction term I am unfamiliar with. But thanks to you, I've now been hungry for cinnamon rolls. Freshly baked, hot, and drizzled with frosting goodness! You sir (or ma'am) have just made an absolute mess of my appetite!

*End of Review Response

And with that, we continue. Where are we going? How will it end up? And all that jazz. Which memory are we visiting this time? Is it Beast Boy's or will we find ourselves in another one of, Raven's? The slowly unraveling less-than-a-mystery continues on Falling Apart Chapter 16 :D


	17. Chapter 16

Chapter 16:

* * *

 **A/N:** Work did pick up, but luckily I had this mostly typed out already and finished it up this weekend. Unfortunately, that means I'll need a little extra time on the next chapter. To keep with a solid schedule, it will be two weeks from today (the Monday after next) when I release the next chapter. Sorry, but I really need the extra work hours to bring in 'dem moneyzzz. I don't know if two weeks per chapter is going to be the new norm, but to placate this, hopefully I can get out two chapters out over three weeks. _Hopefully_.

Week seventeen has come to fruition, yay! And so has the summer heat, of a 102-degree average on the thermometer. But then again, I'm heat-intolerant.

We're at sixty-eight Reviews ("Still, a jump of eight is a lot. I love it!"), sixty-one Favorites, sixty-six Followers (we're still climbing), and over ninety-six hundred views ("So close! Oh, so very, very close!"). (P.S. I use this particular note as a kind of mile stone for myself). And we're still going. You guys have kept up with the support and our numbers continue to grow. We are _rocking it!_

Don't forget to post any QCC so I can post responses (Note to audience, the longer the QCC, the longer I'm compelled to make my response. Do with that what you will)

Disclaimer: I'm sipping on a cup of coffee, still contemplating my failure to acquire Teen Titans.

Without further adieu. *Que the dimming of the lights*

* * *

Falling Apart:

Chapter 16-

 _Meanwhile, back at the Tower…_

"We should do something. They've been in there for-"

"A little over thirty minutes, and counting," Cyborg stated, not even bothering to glance at his internally built, globally synchronized clock, that he may or may _not_ have been glancing at repeatedly over said thirty minutes. "Quit worrying about it, Robin. B's in good hands."

"But what if we-"

"No."

"What about-"

"Nuh-uh."

"If you'd just let me fin-"

"Nope," Cyborg stated. "You're being snoopy. Take a chill pill Bird Boy, and let our girl work."

Robin had been pacing back and forth across the Operations Room, his face set in thoughtful stone, although his thinking face always made him look angry.

Cyborg was currently at the computer, keeping an eye on the city via satellite. If an alert was going to pop up, he was ready for it. However, he glanced at Robin as his feet continued shuffling across the floor. He swore his mechanical eye was picking up wear marks in the floor from Robin's non-stop walk. Not that the marks mattered. The room was still scarred from their fight with Control Freak; scorch burns here, a melted slice there, even his dismembered leg sat abandoned on the floor.

'We're gonna have to clean the Tower,' he thought dejectedly, subconsciously calculating the cost for repairs. As the figures continued to factor in, he groaned at the bill he was going to have to give to Robin. 'Oh well, might as well clean the _whole_ Tower while we're at it. Maybe B will finally agree to get all that dirty laundry off his floor.'

Thinking about Beast Boy sent a pang of guilt through his systems. He knew how Beast Boy was holding up since he had the monitor displays being transmitted to the screen in his arm. Several spikes in B's blood pressure nearly had Cyborg bounding for the Med-Bay, only for it to slow back down. He didn't know what Raven was doing, but it must've been working, because his heart rate was down about thirty beats-per-minute. Or was it _their_ heart rate? If his understanding of Raven's description of the spell was accurate, they were a single entity, so that made their heart beat one and the same… right?

'Man! That's why I don't ask questions about magic. Tell me to build a replica of the Watchtower's G-26 Carburation Filtration Unit _and_ the FG-42 Shield Modulator. That I can do!'

"How are you so calm?" Robin asked, still pacing, just barely sparing Cyborg a glance as he slowly but surely wore on his shoe treads.

"I'm not," Cyborg answered with a growl, keeping his eyes on the screen. "But worrying about it won't make him heal any faster, and it won't help Raven heal him. So I'm doing something that will help me help the team."

"Yes, indeed," Starfire stated, her green eyes having watched him pace back and forth ever since Raven had began healing Beast Boy. "Perhaps you should do the sitting down." She patted a chair next to her, her words less an offer and more a statement, though her gentle and kind tone did little to distinguish the two.

Oblivious as usuall, he continued his self-imposed method of worry. "I can't sit down," he stated, "got to be ready for anything. An enemy. An alert. A change to Beast Boy condition. Raven might need help. We don't even know what she's doing! Maybe I should just check on them."

Before he could even begin to walk toward the Med-Bay, he yelped as Cyborg walked over abruptly and lifted him by the scruff of his cape, pulling him higher until his feet left the ground and they were staring, eye to mechanical eye.

"Sit down before I put a spit-shine on that over-gelled hairdo of yours," the half-robot commanded sternly.

"You wouldn't," Robin stated, his eyes narrowing dangerously.

"Try me," Cyborg demanded back. "You gettin' all antsy isn't going to help keep the rest of us calm. Hell, Starfire's handling this better than you are."

"I have the faith in friend Raven. She will be victorious in her endeavor to heal friend Beast Boy," she replied so Confidently, she probably could have one-punched a meteor with her Tamaranian-fueled strength.

Robin slumped, his body going slack from his hanging position as he crossed his arms. "I don't like waiting."

"You and your girlfriend both," Cyborg stated, setting him down gently. "If it helps, find something to do. Unload the R-cycle from the T-car if you're that itchin' to do something. Hell, train in the gym like you usually do or go hang in your evidence room, just stop making the wait drag on longer than humanly necessary. I only have so much worry to dish out, and I can't be worrying about our _leader_."

His point made, he set him down roughly before returning back to his task, Cyborg continued glancing at the screen as if nothing had happened.

Robin stared after his friend and comrade. He was right. He was team leader, and he wasn't helping anyone by being aimless.

A soft hand in his startled him, and he glanced down. He eyed the gentle tangerine-colored fingers sheltered in silvered gauntlets, garnished with a rounded green Circian Opal (as he had come to learn what it was called) that was placed into the hand portion of the armor. It was a beautiful contrast. Had he not known better, he'd have thought the owner of such lovely fingers were delicate, but the smile that came to his face said he would always know otherwise.

Looking carefully, one could see the faint impressions of what might have been scars. Caressing gently, one might even feel traces of calluses if they took the time to seek them out. It was the strongest, most beautiful hand in the world, and its owner was none-the-wiser to his in-depth observations; little things he kept close to his heart alone, things only he could or would ever identify.

He glanced up into green eyes as they smiled back, a smile he knew was meant only for him.

He was so caught up by how lovely she looked, that he didn't notice the kiss she planted on his cheek until it was fading away, leaving a ghost sensation that he couldn't help but cup his hand around it, as if that would preserve it.

"Are you 'the calm' now?" Starfire asked, her hands clasped behind her back as she leaned forward, destroying any social boundary that would distinguish them as friend or… more.

"Yeah," he said, his hand unmoving from his cheek. "I'm calm."

The alarms suddenly started blaring, causing both teens to jump unexpectedly from their _moment_. Cyborg's fingers were already flying across the keyboard, the _clacking_ of the keys like a rapid tap dance with no rhyme or rhythm.

"We got something," Cyborg stated, his typing picking up speed. "Shit!"

"Talk to me Cyborg," Robin commanded, taking up point behind him as he watched the data coming in. 'Figures an alert would happen then,' he internally complained.

"Electricity is down in three sectors, but the power station is untouched. Emergency personal have been deployed, but it looks like an old friend is back."

He typed a few more commands in before a street camera popped up, the image resolution sharpening considerably.

"Atlas!" Robin growled, his hand clenching the back of Cyborg's chair.

"Not just Atlas," Cyborg stated, pulling up the city's electrical power grid analysis along-side a camera angle. "He's got someone juicin' him up."

Atlas was destroying everything without care or aim, his hands shooting out concussion blasts. His armor now glowing with veins of blue electricity crackling across it randomly, and a familiar red computer chip lodged in his chest spoke volumes.

"Atlas _and_ Overload," Cyborg stated, his systems immediately inserting a code for an arsenal 'Slip'. "They don't show so much as a whisper for two years and now their buddying up. I'm getting tired of all the surprises today."

"Join the club." Robin glared at the new threat. First Control Freak's unfreezing, then an upgraded Adonis's return, now a combination of villan's who had escaped before they could be frozen. 'Grudges sure run deep…and evidently patient.'

"We're down two people," Robin stated, mentally preparing for the fight ahead, counting off what gear he had left in his utility belt.

"Then shall we finish this quickly?" Starfire inquired, floating readily off the ground. "Our friends will need us when they are recovered."

He nodded. "Titans, go," he said, his normal battle cry a calm and collected octave lower as he turned, quickly making his way out of Operations. He would save his zeal for the foe at hand.

Starfire glanced at Cyborg in worried questioning, only for him to shrug, and with that Cyborg sent his silent command. They'd be needing some of his more serious firepower. Not 'Adonis Needs to Die' serious, but taking on two merged villains would be a challenge. It made him think of Beast Boy's and Raven's merging, and even his human eye glowed dangerously. "Yeah Star. We'll finish this as quickly as possible," he stated, the only human emotion on his face set to harnessed grief and anger. They'd be putting a rush on this smack down. No need to draw it out when their friends might wake at any moment. Favoring his battle functions, Cyborg left the reading from Med-Bay as the only miscellaneous function running.

"Indeed," Starfire affirmed, her hair seeming to ignite aflame as her eyes caught the same glow as Cyborg's. "Let us make with the haste."

 **(** _ **Scene Break**_ **)**

" _Allons-y_!"

The fog became dark, light draining away as the world around them became pitch black, but not so dark that a faint light couldn't be seen up some newly formed wooden stairs from under a door jam. Raven surmised they were on a lower floor… or a basement. Beast Boy's yell seemed completely unnecessary now, seeing as they weren't even close to falling; they hadn't even moved an inch from their standing positions.

"Well that was boring," he complained under his breath. He preferred a good skydive, like any other self-titled adrenaline junkie.

"Um, what happened to the lights?" Raven asked, looking down at the hand that held her own, just barely able to distinguish it's outline. "This is feels kind of familiar."

"Oh," he responded, but not to her. " _This_ memory."

Raven felt as Beast Boy began to change, but not into one of his animal forms. He was changing into the subject of his memory, a younger changeling living in his own personal Hellscape.

"Oh no you don't," Raven stated, one shadowed claw emerging from her hand as it grasped the shapeshifter while another one pushed shot from her other hand through him, dividing the memory from the whole. After all, power was infinite in the properly trained mind, _and_ she didn't want a repeat of his last memory.

" _Uuuggghhh_!" he groaned, standing a few feet from his memory-self. Even in the dark, Raven had a sense that the split his mental projections had left him feeling, well… sick. Both mentally and physically, she felt as their body reeled nauseously.

"Wha' wuz tha'?" he slurred, his stomach making a rumble so audible, Raven half-consciously backed away.

'He held our hair while we were pucking our guts out,' Happy uncharacteristically snapped, giving Raven a huge mental shove. 'Get your butt back in there and pat him on the back or something. Say something nice and reassuring.'

"I divided your conscious-self and memory-self," she answered simply, stepping just a little closer. She raised her hand to follow Happy's lead but withheld. He was steadying himself, taking deep breaths as he leaned over with his hands stabilized on his knees.

"W-why?" he huffed, looking up at her. Even with so little light, she could see a reddish-green hue reflect across his eyes, like a cat's. "It feels like someone cherry-bombed me on the teeter-totter."

Raven didn't know what that meant, but if that's what it felt like to him, who was she to argue. "The most vivid memories take place from our first-person point-of-view. In cases like these, the body will react to the same stress and stimuli that was experienced in the memory, creating a perfect replica of the event.

"It means you'll regress into who you were when it happened," she explained when he gave her a confused look. "And that can be dangerous when you need to think objectively, especially when in the middle of a healing process like this. I don't want you to feel that way if we can help it."

"Sooo… in simpler terms, I'm safer like this?"

"In _really_ simpler terms," she affirmed passively, turning her attention to the younger Beast Boy. It was still too dark to capture his likeness, and she doubted her eyes would fully adjust; making demon-vision one of the few traits she wished she had received in her genetic lottery. At least she could make out his silhouette.

"Wait a second! Then how come you were already separate from yours?" he demanded, his sudden revelation more important than his queasy stomach.

"I'm trained to explore my own memories," she stated simply, still glancing around through the dark. "Sometimes seeing it from the outside brings a different perspective. It allows a certain level of disassociation." She could just barely see him nod in understanding, assuming of course he comprehended what the bigger words meant. "So where, or when, are we?"

"The second nightmare you saw," he answered glumly.

Metal bars materialized around the outline of the younger shapeshifter, forming into a familiar cage that left him little room to stand. In the cage around him, Raven could just make out what appeared to be a single metal bucket in one corner, and a crumpled bedsheet bundled up in the corner.

He sat with his arms wrapped around his knees, the shape of his head laying as snuggly as the position allowed on top of them. Even as a small red light blinked on his neck, he snored lightly, his back raising with each small breath in synchronized rhythm with the blinking.

Recognizing the foundations of this memory, Raven's eyes narrowed, a set of inky tendrils emerging from under her cloak. "Is that man coming back?"

"Now look who's trying to change a memory," Beast Boy teased weakly. "This already happened, Rae. It's fine, besides, this isn't even the guiltiest I've felt. This was just more scary than anything."

She knew he was just goading her, prodding at her patience, but still, he had her there. She was doing exactly what she had told him was pointless to do, and it had barely been a few minutes since then.

And the way he was handling himself. If his memory was as terrifying for him as his dream had been, then he was… 'Hiding behind a smile,' she thought, only mildly chastising herself. It was far too easy to get caught up in his pace of things that she forgot he was a master of emotional disguise.

"So how did you get here?" she asked, gesturing lightly. Indeed, it was cold, muggy, and smelled vaguely of dust and fungal matter... and other things she didn't want to think about. Yeah, it was a basement.

"A couple of mercenaries turned thugs," he stated. "Bob and Arnold.

"After the… accident," he rasped a little, trying to swallow to wet his throat, "I was taken in by some family friends, a local tribe my parents visited a lot. But, their witch doctor wasn't too thrilled by me, so he hired some guys to kill me.

"They decided to keep me once they found out I could shapeshift. Like a pet."

"Why?" she asked, more than a little angry that anyone would conspire to kill her friend or turn him into a pet. But that was for another time, watching as the darkened shape of his ears dropped.

He glanced up the stairs. One moment, two moments, three mo-

A single bulb flashed on, hanging from the ceiling, and shining directly over Raven. She squinted as her eyes overloaded with light, trying to adjust as spots danced across her vision. When they did, she stiffened.

Several rats slinked into the shadows and crags of wooden crates and exposed holes in the structure's foundation at the light's illumination, hiding from being caught in the open. Such things were dangerous for potential prey. Looking back though, she could see his younger self clearly in the light.

He was still so young, his dark green hair a ratted mess of mis-length and tangles, looking like he hadn't had a bath in days, maybe weeks. His clothes were as tattered as his nightmare had pictured them, the red blinking light coming from the same collared device around his neck. His skin was taunt and several shades paler than his normal leaf green hue, and she could see some of his ribs were exposed through his shirt. Littered around the cage were small mounds of gnawed rat bones, like they had been stacked methodically, though how they looked so clean was a thought Raven denied herself all together.

His collar suddenly _Beeeeep!_ ed, and the young changeling yelped as he was jolted awake, his hands suddenly clawing at the collar in a fit of shock.

A door slammed open and footsteps descended the creaking stairs, drawing the attention of all present, mentally-generated or otherwise.

An older Beast Boy glanced at his younger counterpart from the corner of his eye, watching as he stopped clawing at his collar and scooted back into the ragged sheet he had called a blanket once-upon-a-time.

"Hey kid, you still alive down here?" a voice called as the crunch of boots on rat droppings replaced the sound of creaking.

He was shorter than Raven had expected. Still taller than her and Beast Boy, but from his nightmare, she was anticipating a more towering individual… especially for a former mercenary. Blonde hair, military tattoos, and a forearm she couldn't have wrapped her hands around, she wasn't surprised that the Beast Boy in the cage had seen a goliath.

"I-I'm a-ali-ve, Mis-ss-ter A-Arn-old," young Beast Boy stammered, subconsciously scooting back further into his cage.

He looked up slightly as the man known as Mister Arnold walked closer to the cage, rapping the top of it with his knuckle. "We got a job. You ready to do your part?"

"C-can I p-please n-n-not," he cried, tears building up in his eyes. "I-I-I don-n't wa-wanna ste-al any m-more."

Mister Arnold's face darkened. "Well then, if you like, but you won't get to eat anything. If we don't have money for food-" the rest was unsaid, but implied.

Beast Boy's eyes squinted shut, sniffling as the thought of not eating ran its course, punctualized by the growl of his aching stomach. "O-okay, I-I'll do i-it."

"And no funny business kid," Mister Arnold growled, kicking the cage with his boot. Beast Boy flinched at the rattling, a small shake spasming through him. "If we go down, well, who would look after an ugly green runt like you?"

A black tendril sliced harmlessly through the image, Raven's eyes seething violet violence.

"Oh," the image said as an afterthought, unfazed by the distortion that rippled from her attack. "Here's supper. Eat up. You got a big job tomorrow." He threw in a piece of questionable raw meat that looked unfit even for a scavenger.

Next to her, Raven watched as Beast Boy shivered at his own memory, his gut clenching in a mild heaving motion that would have otherwise gone undetected.

"That's why you don't like meat?" she asked, her facial features tensing in anticipation of his answer.

He didn't answer right away. "I used to love meat. Bacon, burgers, steaks. Now I can't even look at them."

"You know Cyborg wouldn't do that to you," Raven said, looking at him. "He cares too much about meat to desecrate it. And he cares about you."

Beast Boy only looked down, his eyes heavy. "I know that, but… I can't. Several hundreds of thousands of individual predatory instincts inside me, and most them hate meat now. Even the ones that would be able to stomach the rotting stuff like flies or vultures hate it. It contradicts the nature of their instincts. It's one of the things I wish I could enjoy with Cyborg, but… I just can't. Everything inside me just-" He finished with a shiver.

"That didn't stop you from eating Robin's ham and eggs," she smirked, watching as his ears lifted slightly.

"Yeah, probably just that thi- well, you know." And just like that, he was quiet again. "I wasn't exactly myself. More like an instinct that took top priority over the others. Believe me, it's a part of me that still craves meat."

She could see the cogs of his mind working. It didn't take a genius to see that he was thinking about his latest episode.

"So why didn't you fight back?" she asked, quickly changing the subject to keep him from thinking about the hybrid he became, but didn't know about. "You can shapeshift into a multitude of animals."

"Shock collar," Beast Boy stated as he tapped the side of his neck, glaring at his memory-form. "If I tried to change without permission, I got a lovely buzz to the throat. And I could only change into animals smaller than me at the time, so fighting wasn't really a possibility at the time.

"And I really believed them," he said, solemnly kicking the floor gently. "I was green, looked like a goblin, and didn't think highly of myself after my parents died. I didn't believe anyone would really care for me, so I stayed with them. It seemed better than any alternative at the time."

"So how does this memory make you feel guilt?" Raven asked, looking at the time-slowed interaction.

"Because I actually thought no one would see past… this." He was gesturing to his face: the green, the ears, the fangs, the works. The regret didn't fade from his features. If anything, it became deeper. "Among the few things I could possibly feel guilty about here is that I stole from people. A lot of people. I hurt them financially and didn't think anything of it. I was fed. I'm not proud of it, and God knows what my parents would say about it, but because of Bob and Arnold, I learned a lot."

The memory faded, replaced by a new scene that followed a short time-skip. Beast Boy was outside the cage, seated at a heavy wooden dining table with a different man standing over his shoulder.

Half as muscled but twice as toned as the mercenary known as Arnold, he was gruff and unshaven, his arms likewise littered with tattoos, but his face set in a permanent scowl, and teeth that gently held a lit cigar in place.

Raven turned her attention to him, her power retreating back under her cloak once more. "What could you possibly learn from those two?"

Beast Boy just pointed with a weak smile, her attention following the non-existent line of his gesture.

"A little firmer, kid," the man said, removing his cigar for a moment to blow a puff of smoke. "Don't caress it but keep your fingers nimble."

A sharp _click_ was heard, and the young changeling turned around, holding up the padlock he had just opened, what looked like the bends of a paperclip sticking out of its key hole. He didn't look too thrilled about it.

"Only took you six minutes kid. You'll make a great thief in no time." His hand encompassed the top of Beast Boy's head, quickly ruffling his hair in gruff praise.

"T-thanks, M-mist-ur B-bob," he responded, keeping his chin down. His body went ridged at the contact, the animal within him deciding between fight, flight, or fail. It appeared his body had chosen fail.

The mercenary let go of him, rapping his knuckle gently against his noggin. "And don't call me 'Mister'. I ain't that old yet. Just call me Bob. Keep up your 'education', and you my fine green cabbage head will earn your keep. Who knows. Maybe one day you'll get to spend some of it."

"I-I d-d-don't like b-being a c-c-cabbage h-h-head," Beast Boy said, barely more than a whisper.

"And I don't like securing my financial future through your less than capable hands, but here we are," Bob stated, scratching some of his stubble as he blew another puff of smoke into the air. "You may be able to turn into animals, kid, but that won't help you all the time. Super powers will only get you so far."

There was a moment of silence and a couple puffs of an ember-ended cigar that turned to pungent ash. "You ready for your first big job?"

Younger Beast Boy shook his head positively, scratching the front of his shock collar nervously, as if expecting it to go off randomly.

"Then go over the plan again," Bob commanded.

The changeling inhaled deeply. "I sneak in and disable the security cameras," he replied steadily, his fearful stutter gone. "I turn into a fly to close in on the cameras and turn into a rat to unplug them.

"There's only one guard. Once he steps out of his unmonitored cubicle to investigate the camera's, enter his station and disable the rest of the security. If the system is too complex for me to disable yet, we put off robbing it. Otherwise, once the system is down, Mister Arnold and you knock out the guard, break the glass, and…." He swallowed and inhaled nervously. "… And steal… t-the st-stuff."

"See kid, that wasn't so hard," Bob stated, puffing a billow of smoke once more. "If disabling the security doesn't deactivate the alarms around the glass, then we have just over three-minutes before the police show up."

Raven looked at the older Beast Boy, appraising him carefully. "You actually had that down? Then why do you never listen to Robin's plans?"

"He's boring and it's not 'generally' life-threatening," he stated simply. "And I do listen. But his plans are always too elaborate. Too many things can go wrong. Too many cogs in a machine, and one failing makes the whole machine fail."

"Are there any other surprises?" Raven demanded monotonically, clearly unsatisfied with his answer, though still impressed he could make a compelling argument via simile.

"I can hack a Yamakashi security sequence in two minutes and seventeen seconds, give or take four seconds," he stated off the top of his head. "I can also drive a manuel, I can disassemble and reassemble a security camera. Oh! And I can spoof any digital handprint or eye scanner." Realizing he was bragging about a criminal career, he chuckled nervously as he scratched the back of his neck. "We use one word for it, but there are plenty of different types of 'thieves', and I've been most of them. From hacker to getaway driver to collector. It was all a part of my 'education' to be a better thief for them. It didn't matter what the job was, they needed me prepared for it, even if it _was_ mostly small-time. I was only seven, and I was supposed to be their financial backbone."

"What, you weren't the mastermind?" Raven asked, masking a hint of disappointment, a proverbial break in the ice shatterin88g in the background.

He chuckled, his smile once more returning. She wasn't judging him for being a former, albeit mildly unwilling, criminal. For some reason, his chest fluttered as it lightened. "I helped plan some heists for other gangs while Arnold and Bob took credit for the work, but I never saw most of the ones I took part in. I didn't usually know what I was doing until I was told to do it."

"They didn't want you planning an escape," she confirmed aloud. She glanced at the criminal known as 'Mister' Bob in his paused state, a low demonic rumble building in her chest, but not touching her throat. "How long were you with them?"

"A few years," he answered, looking at his younger self with something between 'necessary evil' and curiosity. "They eventually had a falling out over a score and shot each other. I was lucky they taught me so much, otherwise I'd never have gotten that collar off and got out. And believe me, that collar took longer than six minutes to pick open."

"But if that's the case, why didn't you leave as soon as you figured it out? Why prolong your stay?" Raven asked, watching as a look of shame overcame him. Truly, he was as bipolar a personality as she had ever seen.

"Mostly fear," he replied. "I mean, it never occurred to me as a kid that anyone could accept that I was green other than my parents. I thought they were right.

"But most importantly, I needed an opportune moment when I knew neither of them could chase after me. I'm pretty sure shooting each other counts."

"What did you do after that?"

The memory-scape tensed, growing unconsciously darker.

"I left." His shoulders shuddered like the wings of an insect, his memories leaking into the space around them. "I left them to bleed to death. They weren't good men by a long shot, but what kind of hero does that make me?"

"I don't mean to repeat myself again, but you were a kid," Raven stated, her chin lowering in worried thought. "Was that the first time… you saw death? I mean… was it the first time you saw… corpses?"

His body slithered, as she watched him make a fervent effort to block the memory off. His eyes and fists clenched closed, but it didn't stop their surroundings from beginning to change. Absently, Raven could see the outline of a room begin to take shape, two distinguishable figures cropping up, and a bright red color beginning to bleed through the memory.

"Garfield stop," she commanded, forcefully turning him around. He was closed off, his memory of the event getting sharper, and more vibrant. "Azar. Garfield, look at me!"

His breathing picked up as his face began to writhe viciously, moving down his neck like animate veins. His nose curled with his inhale, and Raven couldn't help the ferrous scent that permeated her sinuses through him.

Her hands moved behind his neck as she forcefully pulled him forward to smack her chakra against his forehead, holding it there as a flood of his emotions began rushing through her like a turbulent current. Fear, guilt, disposition, content, relief, nausea, despair; such things he felt about the deaths of his captors. But not hate; as if it had never occurred to him to hate them.

'Ha, I told you we should have knocked foreheads again,' Passion blurted out inopportunely.

Ignoring her wayward emotion, Raven tried focusing amidst the chaos of Beast Boy's emotions; but really, what else was new by now. Less than twenty-four hours and calling in an IOU, or ten, was looking and sounding pleasant to her. She felt something warm and wet beginning to pool at her feet, and she squeezed her eyes shut, not wanting to confirm what she already knew she was standing in. But it was more. Some internal war waged within her, begging her to look; a half of her that she could feel growling pleasurably.

"Garfield," she whispered, a tone of pleading entering her voice, "come back." She felt something new reach out to him, a kind of longing desperate to keep him present with her. It was kind, selfish, and wanted nothing more than for him to crack a stupid joke, or pester her while she read and drank tea. She wanted him alive. She wanted him happy. She wanted to snap at him, to get angry, to fight with and alongside him. He spent so much time saving her from herself, it was time she returned the favor.

'So _no_ IOU's?' Envy complained, quickly smacked upside the head by Rude. 'Guess not.'

 _Azarath Metrion Zinthos_. _Azarath Metrion Zinthos_. Her mantra created a space in her mind, dedicated to calm and serene thoughts, and she instinctually began filtering it into Beast Boy. His breathing slowed, the pungent scent of blood faded, and slowly she began to feed off of the cycle of peace that fed through him into her, and vice versa. A cycle as Symbiotic as their singular body.

"Uh, Raven?"

Her eyes opened, meeting the cascaded forests of his eyes. She glanced swiftly in worry through her peripheral vision, sighing internally at the blank space around them. It was over. She closed her eyes and smiled in relief, glad that it was ended, if only for the moment.

"Um, Raven? You're kinda close," he clarified quickly.

Her eyes bolted open again. They were indeed close. Their noses were merely a half-breath apart, held in place by Beast Boy's sudden inability to inhale. She could feel the heat radiating from his face as it turned a mild shade of greenish-red, and self-conscious of the rapid analysis his eyes seemed to be making of her as they took her in. She herself became aware of how compromising they must have looked, her hands holding his neck, their foreheads pressed together, her breath so close she could feel it reflected back by the contours of his face.

'Oh. My. Azar,' Passion projected, quickly tapping Happy on the shoulder as if she weren't already aware of the situation.

'No. No. Nononononono. NO!' Timid cried, shrinking down as much as she could as she pulled further into her hood.

'We're so… close,' Hope shined, her blue cloak newly aglow. 'Come on B. Kiss deh gurl.'

'Oh, no,' Temperance voiced with a gentle face-palm, accompanied by a nasal groan of agreement from Suffering.

Raven didn't know what came over her, but Timid won out. A black wave of repulse shot between them, throwing Beast Boy back with his signature cry of surprise as he was tossed across the mindscape like a ragdoll.

"RAAAAAVV-vvvvveeeennnn!" he called as he flew, his voice fading away.

Without warning, the edge of their shared mind-space hit her in the back, throwing her with him.

"Shit," she cursed, hitting the non-existent ground with a bounce and a roll that made her glad this was all in his head. They'd only be in this predicament longer if their Symbiotic Healing Trance had to work overtime healing imaginary injuries. Despite knowing it wasn't real, it sure hurt like it was.

"Hey! You okay?!" he called, already running toward her oddly, on all fours.

'Am _I_ okay?' she thought, wondering just how much damage she did to his brain after she just sent him flying. "Yeah, I'm fine," she groaned, getting to her feet slowly. "Remind me to reserve that for when we're not in your head."

He just laughed as he pulled up next to her, his spine making a crack as he stood back up on two legs. He did well to hide it, but his emotions were in the air itself: he was scrutinizing her intricately, making sure she was really okay, any thoughts of just a moment ago, thankfully, completely gone.

"So how are you back so quickly?" she asked, rubbing her shoulder. Internally, she was pushing aside the fact they had been so…close. Almost intimate. She could only imagine if any of their friends had been there. The last thing she wanted was some misunderstanding that could cost her peace of mind, and possibly a solid friendship between her and Beast Boy.

Ugh, never mind her or Beast Boy. Starfire would be squealing louder than Happy, Cyborg would have a grin wider than the Cheshire cat's, and Robin… would look at the same spot blankly for the next few hours as he took the time to process what he would consider "impossible".

"A cool cat like me always land on their feet," he replied with a smug smile, his face almost contorting perfectly into a stuck up sour-puss despite the lack of shifting involved.

She rolled her eyes, glancing at him stoically as his face did little to nothing to give himself away. He was covering for himself, hiding away the pain of having seen his captors' corpses, repressing the memory until it was an inhibition to dredge it up again.

Fast as a shadow, she was hugging him, holding his head to her shoulder. He stiffened, as if expecting to suddenly get blasted away again, but nothing occurred. "I'm sorry I brought it up," she whispered, trying very hard to force herself to hold the physical contact, especially after having been so close to his face just moments before. "I swear to Azar I'm not trying to bring out these terrible memories, but it's my fault and I'm sorry. So sorry."

"Yeah. It's totally your fault," he teased, hugging her back gently, as if afraid she'd hurt him…or maybe that he would hurt her. His voice turned into a whisper, gently brushing her ear like a soothing breeze. "But it's worth it if this is what I get out of it." His chin rested gently on her shoulder, a deep inhale unconsciously triggering their shared senses.

Scents of lavender, and incense; of lemon, and even various tea blends danced in her nose. But underneath it all was a single scent that seized her chest: Ash. The faded snows of desolation. As if a cherry tree had been set on fire; both sweetly fragrant, and utterly demolished in flame. Destruction. A smell that told her exactly what Beast Boy caught every time she was close: a half-breed, a demon spawn. That she could never hide the scent of her bloodline from those with the senses to seek it out. But….

His posture however didn't tense like hers did. It went completely lax, or more over…comfortable. She could sense the vulnerability in his posture, in his emotions, like he was laying them all in front of her with no hesitance. There wasn't a reservation within his animal instincts, and she could feel it. He was…at peace. Like a willing sacrifice to her darker heritage.

"Calm down Rae," he said simply. My how the tables turned so quickly. "It's okay. You're not alone." He almost seemed to pull her closer, if that was even possible.

'I'm not alone?' she thought, her eyes catching the drift of a forming hole in mind-space, as her cloak began billowing windlessly toward it's open maw, signalling the threat of another memory to come.

Beast Boy turned to it, leaving warmth behind on her shoulder where his chin had been as he put a hand over his brow like he was trying to see further into it with no avail. "Any ideas where we'll be going this time?"

Raven shook her head regretfully as the moment ended. "None. This was supposed to be a field-trip into your mind, remember? I have no idea where we're going in mine. _If_ we're going there at all that is."

He just chuckled, his eyes holding a darker tone than she was used to seeing from him, but there was still so much…life in them. "Well, then I suppose we'd better go willingly. I don't want to land on the floor again. My ribs might not survive the fall."

A moment. Then another.

"You can let go now," she stated simply, her eyes returning to their normal passive glare as she had _already_ exceeded her quota for physical contact for the day, or maybe _finally_ was the right word. "Or your ribs might not even make to the portal."

Faster than the eye could follow, his hands were behind his back, his eyes glancing vacantly downward as he rubbed his left arm nervously. "Sorry," he muttered, his ears flicking as he gingerly offered her an arm as a substitute to being hugged. "Shall we?"

Sighing with some resignation, she watched with some amusement as his face lit up with surprise when she interlocked her arm with his. It set a pulse in her neck racing irritably, but-

'A few more minutes,' she thought challengingly to herself.

"Such a gentleman," she jabbed sarcastically, giving him a teasing smile. "After you."

He beamed, taking one exaggerated step after another forward toward the strangely gravity-vacant void in his mental space-time.

Their locked arms aside, Raven couldn't help the nervousness she felt, staring dejectedly at whatever might be on the other side. A stolen glance at Beast Boy revealed absolute confidence, despite his memories. She wondered how he did it, how he moved on so quickly from nearly drowning in his own emotions. Whenever she thought about… Arella… it felt as though someone had shoved a needle into her forehead. Regardless, whatever it was that drove him, made him so confident, she felt she might need some of that soon.

* * *

 **A/N:** And the story continues splendidly.

Forever again, if there is anything that needs edited, or is connecting in a weird way for you guys, let me know and I'll try to clean up the text. I do accept grammar and spelling errors too (PM these if possible, and I'll add them to my next Hard Edit)

As always (and I'll just keep posting this because its true), keep posting your constructive criticisms, as they will help me know what to look for in my future writings, and for the days I decide to do a hard edit. I look forward to growing as a writer for you guys and myself.

While I kept to script mostly with this memory, it was interesting to see it take it's own light as I watched it (in my head). I didn't add a whole lot pertaining to Misters Bob and Arnold (as the names were never mentioned), because we already see them as the bad guys, and I didn't want to alter that. As for Garfield's carefully selected "skill-sets", most of this was displayed in the TV show. He's hacked the Titan's mainframe (to find out when Raven's birthday was) and the password protected computer controlling the black hole machine of the Brain (someone Mento called "Intelligence Incarnate"), he's shown several espionage based skills (including slipping into Raven's room while she's in there, undetected... but not in a pervy way, and broke into the Brain's base using the aforementioned Rat-Disables-the-Security-Cameras).

Given that most of the comics agree that he spent a few years there, I figured he did more than just simple grunt work in that time. He'd have to learn new skill sets if he was to break into some of the areas that the comics demonstrated (including high-tech security museums). So I do apologize if it seems like I built him up too much, but comment what you think anyways, good or bad.

Plus, I felt it was as good a time as any to find out why he didn't like meat... that's never really been explained before either. We hear him complain that he turns into those animals, but he's been know to cover up his real motivations behind lame excuses, and that didn't stop him when he was still with his biological parents from what I've gathered. So it was something that had to develop over the course of his backstory.

Let me know what parts you liked, what parts need work, and overall what you think about it so far :D

P.S. I am starting to work on the outline for a different story altogether for one of the games I play. If and when that comes out, I'll let you guys know, but it's only bits and pieces here or there, so it'll still be a while yet. Keep rocking it like you guys do!

P.S.S Atlas and Overload were villains that were left unfrozen by Season 5 end, so if there are any villains you guys would like to challenge our heroes with, let me know, and I'll unfreeze them (I'm begging at this point. It's either I ask you guys or my baby sister). OC's won't appear until the next story.

 _Tamaranian Translations (Original Translation)_ **:**

 _None this week!_

(Review Response disclaimer: I ramble sometimes. That's just me being excited. If I don't ramble, I'm still excited, just calm. Also, I have a "different" sense of humor. I swear it's not you, it's completely and utterly me.)

And now for the new _Reviews Responses_ :

\- FF8cerberus: Unfortunately, that is a SPOILER! The how's and why's will come later. Promise.

\- wigglewolf27: Them crushing is adowabuw! But alas, I have much more in store.

P.S. That fine tailored suit would be expensive. Electrical molecular binding should keep it solid, but even then, the suit would be transparent, and thereby revealing. Think of the children! Seeing your heart exposed in such display!

\- dld51: Hope you enjoy this chapter too.

\- Junior VB: Indeed it was. But tough childhoods are what shape the best heroes.

\- Eris: Glad to read that I hit all those points. Hope this chapter is just as good.

\- Philis is a ferret: And so the adventure continues.

\- MrSadTeddyBear: I'm glad to read that. Thank you, and best of luck to you as well.

\- AWESOMEROCKSTAR101: Thank you!

*End of Review Response

Suspense and all! Where to? What memory will be encountered through the portal? Etcetera, etcetera. Find out next time on Falling Apart Chapter 17 :D


	18. Chapter 17

Chapter 17:

* * *

 **A/N:** Hey guys! I'm baa-aaack! Gods, the weather has sucked: the whole of last week was over a hundred degrees, and two of those days were one-hundred and twelve degrees. And I worked out in it. Lovely week. Just lovely. But hey, I got a lot done once I was off work, so hey... progress.

Week nineteen is now passed in it's fullest. Just waiting for the summer heat to fade into a glorious fall cool.

We're at seventy-three Reviews, sixty-three Favorites, seventy-three Followers ("Seven more added to our merry band. Now if only I could get jackets made"), and over eleven thousand views ("We have far exceeded the ten-thousand goal! I shall celebrate with another cup of coffee."). (P.S. I use this particular note as a kind of mile stone for myself). And we're still going. You guys are holding my enthusiasm for this story together; any more excitement and I might kiss my computer

Don't forget to post any QCC so I can post responses (Note to audience, the longer the QCC, the longer I'm compelled to make my response. Do with that what you will)

Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Titans, but I do own an alarm clock to wake me up to reality when I think I own it. I hate that alarm clock.

Without further adieu. *Que the dimming of the lights*

* * *

Falling Apart:

Chapter 17-

"Okay, so we _are_ back on Azarath," Beast Boy stated with interest, looking around as they stepped out of the portal. "No idea how… not that I'm complaining."

Raven nodded, looking at the distant towers looming over and between the trees of the surrounding forests. Wild birds chirped occasionally, alerting that there was some life among the otherwise tranquil world, but their colors otherwise hidden in the dense foliage. Distantly, a single dark shack stood in a large grassy clearing, surrounded by people that Raven had long since forgotten the emotions of, all dressed in the traditional white and/or lavender robes of Azarathians.

"I thought Azarath was just a city," Beast Boy wondered aloud, glancing at the woodlands, hills, and grassland approvingly. 'I wonder if there are any deer nearby,' he thought. Then again, as much as it took to looking like Earth, he doubted its fauna was the same. For all he knew there were entire species foreign to him, like the Lightning Bug's he had seen. For some reason, it got him pumped.

"No," Raven stated, looking at the shack with grim familiarity, memories of its inner walls stirring bitterly in her minds eye. "Azarath is an entire world, an entire planet and plane of existence. Both existing extra-dimensionally and inter-dimensionally, between the fabrics of reality. It facets all the same traits required of a functioning universe, even if it is smaller than the one we live in."

"Huh?" Beast Boy asked, clearly confused as he scratched the top of his head with his free hand. "I have no idea what any of that means, but, okay."

Raven groaned silently. Trying to explain something so cosmically complex was pointless, not that she understood the fullness of it anyway. Only Azar and her predecessors had the power and privilege to alter Azarath as they saw fit, and that included the laws by which it was universally governed. Such knowledge was among the most guarded secrets, given the literal universe-altering implications.

"So, which memory is this for you?" he asked, glancing around like he expected something… well, unexpected to happen. And terrible. Terrible was commonplace.

She said something his heightened hearing didn't quite pick up, as if she had only moved her mouth without sound to accompany it. She pulled her hood up, disconnecting from Beast Boy to do so. It hid the majority of her face, and made it harder to discern her feelings.

"Say wah?" he asked, silently missing the feeling of her arm, not that he would voice it aloud.

"It's not a pleasant one," she whispered louder, hints of bitter sadness touching her voice. The mindscape responded by trying to bring the scene into play, only for Raven to take a deep breath and dispelled it before it could be formed.

"Unpleasant is kind of the story of our lives," he said pointedly, scratching the back of his neck at his poor attempt to relate. "But we chose to be heroes despite that." He gave her a small nudge with his shoulder, his eyes meeting hers as she turned to glare at him.

"You're not alone, Rae," he repeated to her. "And I'll remind you as long I'm around. No matter how much you won't like it."

She nodded slightly, leaving her hood in place. 'I'm not alone,' she repeated in her thoughts, finding more comfort than she could admit in his words.

"So is that where we head?" he asked, pointing to the shack, his nose sniffing in a way that she found endearing.

She nodded. "Not quite, but this is about where it started." She absently began moving toward it, her cloak swaying slightly as she trudged through the memory, the grass parting in her wake.

"So what happened?" he asked, jogging for a moment to catch up. He sniffed around, not feeling anything as threatening as that jackass from earlier. 'What was his name again? Brother Marv? Brother Minstrel? Whatever.'

"This was the day I made my first friend," she stated listlessly.

Beast Boy opened his mouth to ask a question, but she was already picking up the pace, putting distance between them. Seeing no other option, he followed after her, his shoulders tensing reflexively. It may have been a memory to her, but that didn't mean it put him at ease. They walked in relative silence even as the people gathered in front of the shack talked inconsequentially, some of which held fast the hands of children that might otherwise lose themselves adventurously among the small crowd and surrounding wood.

"So, what is everyone gathered out here for?" he asked, yelping as he passed straight through a person like a phantom. He shivered, holding his shoulders to ward off the non-existent chill. 'So this is how ghosts feel. Poor ghosts,' he sympathized, keeping pace with Raven as she didn't cease to move forward.

Raven ignored him for a moment, looking for something in particular… like a dark hooded child seated some distance away, almost invisible in the shadow of a tree. "The magically gifted of Azarath are trained from the moment their abilities become present," she stated, stopping short of her younger self. "When they become strong enough, they're permitted a companion. This is where they acquired."

"A companion?"

"A familiar," she clarified, using one of the few common words that met between his nerdish knowledge and her magic prowess. At least she hoped it was a common wor-

"No way!" he exclaimed. "A familiar?! Like a Wizard or Sorcerer? Do you get it at level one or is something you get at a later lev-" He was thrown forward by a smack from a large dark-matter claw, landing right next to Raven as he slid to a groaning halt.

"It's not a game you-" she bit off her own insult, sighing as she calmed down. He wasn't an idiot, at least, when he wasn't so busy trying to hide his emotions behind that stupid wardrobe of masks he wore. When he wanted to, he could be quite intelligent, like when he shut his mouth… especially when he shut his mouth. "It's not a game, Beast Boy. Familiars have been a part of magical society since before recorded history."

"Wait," he said, still on the ground, but his head now perked up as he stared thoughtfully at the younger version of Raven. "So everyone's waiting around that hut for familiars?" It didn't seem likely to Beast Boy. The hut was so small, unless…. He smiled with nerdish intuition at the implication. "Does that mean it's the hut is bigger on the inside… or smaller on the outside?"

Raven glanced back at the gathered people, a small humored smile on her face. Intelligent indeed. "It is indeed a larger space condensed into a smaller frame," she answered. "They wouldn't be able to house so many creatures otherwise."

Beast Boy pushed himself up into a seated cross-legged position. Looking back at the shack, it was small, and there existed a small implication of something that could possibly outgrow its small frame was in there…. He'd ask how it got out, but he figured "when in doubt: magic."

"Sooo… why are you here?" he asked, looking up at Raven with an intense curiosity. "Having a familiar sounds like something that could make you… um, emotional."

A dark aura seemed to settle on the sorceress, her features well hidden by her cloak, but still not completely lost on the changeling. He knew her better than that.

"It is," she stated. "I had actually been visiting this place with Azar since I was old enough to speak. She oversaw many affairs, and this is one of them. I possessed the power to take on a familiar before anyone else my age, but for the same reasons as always, I was never permitted to have one."

"But could you get one now?" he wondered aloud. "I mean, you've gotten better at handling your emotions, and it might be handy to have an extra set of hands… or paws… or… yeah, that."

She smiled at him sadly. "I could, but it wouldn't do any good. Contrary to those mind-numbing games of yours, the strength and power of a familiar is not based off the power of their master. The longer a familiar is contracted to their master, the more power they obtain."

"So you _do_ watch me and Cy play games," he teased.

"Only on occasion," she defended. "And only when I happen to notice large discrepancies from what is realistically magic."

"I don't know what that means," he stated with a frown, but didn't press it. "So given enough time, a familiar could potentially out grow their master."

"Theoretically, if the power of its master ceased to grow," she affirmed. "But the reason I don't get one now is because of the fact that any familiar I get now would be incredibly weak compared to everyone else on the team. Plus there's all the special requirements of taking care of it, training it, and essentially teaching it magic. Overall, it would be more hassle to deal with than you. And that says a lot."

He looked utterly shocked and offended. "What? Me? Outdone by an over-glorified pet? An outrage I tell you! An utter outrage! No one and nothing is more of a hassle to deal with than me."

"Don't worry, it gets better. Given enough time, it would be able to cast spells and take on elemental features," she stated with a smirk. "It's not that it's useless, but I'd hate for you to feel incompetent when it grew to full power. How would it feel then, to have my familiar stronger than you?"

His features drew out as he glared at her. "So you're doing it for my benefit?" His tone was joking, but otherwise said he didn't believe a word she was saying. She may have been countering his joke, and he may have been riding along with it graciously, but he could sense the sad air about her. "Did you want one when you were on Azarath? Is that it?"

As if in answer, the memory started in earnest. The winds were soft and gentle, ruffling the younger Raven's cloak punctually as she stared through her future self, unaware that about a decade later, she would be looking back at herself. She glanced at younger children, pulling on the sleeves of their parents and pointing excitedly toward the hut with enthusiasm. While the concept was lost on Beast Boy, he could only figure that to obtain a familiar was every aspiring young sorceress's dream.

"I have business to attend to here, so can you wait?"

Beast Boy jumped at the voice, suddenly aware that the red robes of Azar had been present the whole time. 'Wha-? When-? How-? Damn that old lady blends in,' he thought, glaring in confusion at her, as if she might turn invisible.

The younger Raven nodded, her eyes unmoving, and her gaze deadpan. Compared to the last memory they had witnessed, she was much more like the old Raven… or at least "old" as Beast Boy knew her. Focused, unfeeling, controlled… alone. "I will be fine, Azar."

"Do you not wish to join them?" Azar asked, following Raven's gaze.

Raven's signature raised eyebrow glanced pointedly at Azar. "For what purpose? I am not permitted the benefit of a familiar, and they would only react as they always do: with fear, contempt, and hatred. For their sakes, and my own, it is better that I remain distant. Besides…." She rubbed her forehead, as if she were feeling a pleasant pain. "…I would rather feel the joy they share with others than the disgust they feel for me."

Azar nodded, a small smile on her elderly features. "I see. You have done well to think this through. What will you do then?"

"I'll wait here," Raven stated simply, the folds of her cloak almost assisting in her blending into the shadows. "Perhaps I can practice my meditations. Their emotions are plentiful enough that I can exercise keeping them at bay." Her words sounded contemplated, rehearsed, as if she were reiterating the most obvious thing to say.

"Very well," Azar stated, moving past them toward the shack. The Elder Raven saw no indication that her old mentor was aware of their presence this time. 'Perhaps it was just happenstance.'

Beast Boy's face contorted in confusion. "That doesn't make sense," he said audibly. "There's all those people feeling emotions, and you barely seem fazed. You're just practicing with meditation."

"And?" Raven inquired.

"So why do you always need to seriously meditate whenever I'm around?" he demanded, pointing at himself, as if clarification to his identity was necessary. "I mean, you sometimes need to with Star, but it's usually me."

"That's because most people give off simple and singular emotions in certain areas or settings," she answered. "Go to a coffee shop, and everyone generally feels calm: mere ripples in a pond. Starfire has a date with Robin: maybe someone threw a rock in the pond and there's a splash. Starfire is always intense, but I expect that from her. It's a part of who she is."

"And what does that have to do with me?" he asked, not really getting her point.

She glared at him, like she had been saving up for this moment since they met five years ago. " _You_ have a tendency to express any and every emotion with just as much intensity as Starfire, whether or not it's appropriate to the time or place, and sometimes at random. Like a tidal wave. In the pond. And water displacement stays the same, which is impossible. I can't predict what you will be feeling moment-to-moment, so I don't know when to throw up my barriers.

"Thankfully, you've been more restrained the last couple years, but still, every now and then…." She left the rest unsaid.

He scratched the back of his neck, a nervous smile touching his face. "Yeah. Sorry about that."

Time seemed to be going by at a rapid pace, the shadows visibly crawling by with the sun as the younger Raven continued meditating, unmoving, unflinching. It seemed a feat in and of itself that she continued to remain in such a position.

Glancing back, Beast Boy noticed that even the people seemed to be moving in fast-forward, no one apparently taking notice of Raven's silent presence from her floating lotus position. Which was odd, cause it was hard not to notice her. Then again, she did have an uncanny tendency to fade to the background, but for some reason, that made it easier for Beast Boy to pick her out; as if her isolation made her that much brighter. Never mind the adults and children, or the alien creatures that in any other moment might have snatched his attention. His priorities felt absolute, and Raven was at the top of that list.

Another moment of accelerated time, and it suddenly returned to normal, the sun now somewhere on it's downward trek. Late-afternoon maybe? The wind had ceased, and the people had mostly desisted, so it was quiet and tranquil.

Young Raven seemed to barely breathe, her heart rate slowed to a state of rest, and a sense of calm so intense, Beast Boy could have cut it with a butter knife. He scrunched his eyes at the evident state of mind she had achieved, his brow twitching irritably at the thought of even holding still like that. It had been hours at best, and that level of dedication to not moving could only be realized by a handful of his forms, possums included; but that was to deter predators by simulating a state of death. How people did it recreationally was beyond his comprehension. Movement was how people demonstrated life, and he hated seeing Raven look so… lifeless. He couldn't help but think how her ivory skin in those moments made her look almost dead. But he was always reassured when he picked up her heartbeat in his frantically seeking ears; as long as he could hear that, he'd never worry.

"This quiet is kind of...lonely," he stated to no-one as he kept his thoughts to himself, glancing between both Ravens before he began tapping his finger on his arm in a random beat to some music only he seemed to hear, humming slightly to a song that had no lyrics.

Raven ignored her own rise of irritation, choosing instead to think objectively about his words. For some reason, she understood. He'd been alone, treated with contempt, locked in a basement, and neglected for years. Of course he wouldn't care for anything remotely silent. If anything, her understanding of that now reminded her of his rather obnoxious and boisterous behavior over their shared hero career. It was almost sad to think about, now that she had context. After all, even silence left unbearable white noise in its wake, and he had suffered with that for Azar knew how long.

" _Mrraaooooow_!"

"Meow?" Beast Boy blinked, looking at Raven. She snapped out of her thoughts just in time to watch the memory unfold, now caught up in the experience she had chosen to forget successfully. Until now.

He followed her gaze, looking down. Near the younger Raven's leg, a small kitten the color of navy blue walked under her, its slit ice-blue eyes looking up at her curiously as it paced around. Two rows of claws poked out as it flexed its paw, a raspy set of quills shivering over its back, and three spaded tails flicking back and forth in separate directions at separate paces as it cocked its head at her, one ear sticking up while the other fell flat. Okay…maybe it wasn't a kitten, but that thought made Beast Boy all the more curious.

The small creature crouched, its shoulders visibly rolling before it pounced, falling short of its target and its claws digging into a soft, pale thigh. Raven's eyes bolted open with a startled cry, and more than a few trees suffered the consequences as they splintered and shattered in an explosion of dark energy. Her posture failed as she ceased to levitate, falling directly onto the ground. The jarring impact, made her gasp windlessly, and her eyes squinted shut as she leaned back, trying to take in a full breath that quickly denied itself.

After a few moments of steadily breathing and an occasional hiss of "Ow," she glanced at the unperturbed beast that had quickly taken up residence in her lap upon her fall. Clearly, it gave no secondary thought to its wellbeing, and remained curled into a small ball of blissful fuzz that rested happily and lazily in her lap, clearly proud of its accomplishment.

"Shoo," she stated, her monotone hiding a tick of irritation Beast Boy had become all too familiar with over the years, even if her hood hid the majority of her expression. "Go away. I'm not your bed."

The…cat thing? …dutifully ignored her, remaining in its position as its tiny chest continued to rise and fall in nocturnal synch.

A vein in her forehead suddenly bulged in irritation as her glowing white eyes glared at the feline-like creature. A small ridged hand reached down, prepared to remove the nuisance by force. That is, until it rolled over to stretch, her hand suddenly finding purchase against its side. It wiggled slightly, until her hand was coincidently scratching its belly, a slight purr escaping its happy maw as it mewed.

Raven's word choices stuttered to a halt as she attempted to grasp the depth of what had transpired. The creature just glanced at her, continuing to mew happily as it pawed at her hand, sparing no expense at swiping with its retracting claws.

Wincing at her cat-scratched hand, the younger Raven shot to her feet, knocking the "cat" off. It stereotypically landed on its feet, turning to hiss at the interruption to its previously happy rest.

"It's your own fault," she stated angrily, showing it her hand. "You're the one who scratched me."

It sat on its haunches haughtily, it's three tails flicking as it licked away the minute bit of blood it had caught on its claws. Once it had finished, it licked its paw and wiped it's head, glancing once more at Raven with an open mawed yawn.

Sighing, a gentle blue light enveloped her hand, her wounds mended, and she returned to her meditative stance. Even as she floated off the ground, one eye popped open to ensure the offending beast didn't pounce again.

Beast Boy chuckled to himself, pulling Raven from her reverie. "I don't blame him, you have the perfect lap for a cat-nap."

"So I figured," Raven glared. "You only did the same thing every chance I let my guard down."

Beast Boy feinted a stretch, clearly proud of his own personal accomplishment. "Hey, you never tossed me out the window while I was a cute and harmless kitten, and it saved me more than a few times from Cy. Plus, I never interrupted your reading when I got comfortable, so it was one of the few things we both enjoyed. I call that a win-win."

As if it was an after-thought, he muttered, "And I liked it when you played with my ears." His ears tweaked slightly as they remembered her gentle fingers rubbing them. He hadn't put any thought into it before, but he was just now wondering why his face was suddenly heating up. 'Is it possible to get sick in a dream?' he thought curiously, checking his temperature with his tongue on the room of his mouth. He felt fine, but his face still felt warm. Especially around his cheeks and neck.

Unaware of his plight, Raven looked away, suddenly finding one of the trees her younger-self's powers had shattered, very interesting.

"And what is this?"

Beast Boy's eyes shot back toward the shack's direction, his chest seizing again as Azar appeared. He couldn't explain why, but it was beginning to irritate him that she could sneak up on him so easily, and she wasn't even real.

Azar watched her student's response as she opened narrowed eyes to glance at her mentor. Her focus appeared unbroken, but her glance of annoyance at the small beast was as piercing as ever. " _Someone_ decided I would make a great pillow," she uttered without a hint of emotion, masking her irritation. "For some reason it won't leave me alone."

Azar crouched down elegantly, a small smile Beast Boy recognized touching her elderly features. She reached out for the small creature, hand held out in invitation. It turned toward her, an ear perched in curiosity. Not finding whatever it was looking for in Azarath's spiritual leader, it turned its attentions back to a floating Raven, remaining on its haunches as if it were looking for a perfect opportunity to reclaim it's less-than-cooperative cradle.

"It seems he finds you interesting," Azar commented, neither offended nor sincere, as if finding the creature's presence to be less than a footnote. "I've finished for the time-being. It's time to return to your studies."

Nodding absently, Raven's legs unfolded from the Lotus position, stepping flawlessly on solid ground. Almost instantly, the small "cat" was weaving around her feet, mewing pathetically as it brushed its side against her with a purr. Raven stiffened, her eyes glowing dangerously as she looked prepared to punt the creature into oblivion. Instead, she tensed her jaw as her eyes closed, her boots stepping over and around the creature without so much as a passing glance.

"Let's go," she stated, walking without turning back, her eyes set on the towers of the city.

Azar didn't eye the creature either, instead passing by. Her eyes suddenly trailed to the side, glancing at Beast Boy with a narrowing glare, as if she sensed something that shouldn't have been there.

The Elder Raven's own eyes narrowed. Azar was sensing them, or more specifically, Beast Boy. Possibly even seeing him. She didn't know how. She granted that Azar was powerful, but for her to sense him through a memory was….

Her eyes closed, one of Azar's hands gently muddled through the air, as if purposefully distorting the stilled reflection of a pond.

The memory shifted, like a computer transition sliding across the fields of their vision.

Beast Boy sighed in relief as gulped, glad that they were in the sort-of familiar terrain of Raven's "living-quarters". He didn't like the feeling he had, even as Raven's mentor had glared at him. He had felt so transparent before, but now… he just felt vulnerable.

Raven was in about the same boat, watching the spot Azar had been just a moment before. She could attempt to pick apart her confusion, or deal with it later. She was left with so many questions as to why Azar was seeing them, or more specifically, _him_. She took a deep breath to clear her thoughts, putting it aside for thought later, as she turned to watch her memory. She wasn't here to question her mentor's abilities, but to observe just how much of herself Beast Boy would see.

The younger Raven sat on her bed, it's curtains now opened like the frames of a picture. A book twice the size of her lap sat in front of her as she appraised it studiously, her brows furrowed in concentration. That is, until the… thing… jumped onto her bed, quickly curling up on the book in a shuffle of crinkled pages before Raven could register the interruption to her work.

" _Mraaaw!_ "

Beast Boy frowned as he attention was pulled to their current frame, suddenly less impressed with the feline creature's accomplishments. "No fair, dude. Your stealing my moves. Is there anything I've done that this little twerp hasn't?"

Raven didn't even have to think about it. "You coughed a hairball on my lap."

"I meant cute," he stated with clarification, his thumb pointing to the small creature he glared at with loathing and admiration. "Something _that_ hairball hasn't."

"Why? Jealous?" she asked with a smirk.

He just looked at her with a drawn-out face, an eyebrow raising in daring. It was as if their normal roles were reversed, if only for the moment.

"Yeah, you nipped my knee," she stated.

He thought for a second before nodding. He suddenly froze, turning toward her cautiously. "That was cute?" It was a slowly drawn out question, as he gauged her reaction.

She glared at him. "It was until you drew blood."

"Oh yeah." He remembered that. She had almost thrown him to the mainland that day right after forcing him to shift back to his human form, and he could have sworn he skipped a couple times across the Jump City Bay. Still, he felt bad about that. It hadn't been his intention to hurt her. "I forgot that kitten teeth are extra sharp."

"I'm not angry Beast Boy," she reassured, pinching the bridge of her nose as her eyes furrowed. She had so much to think about, and it didn't help that she was remembering things she had left undredged for years. "This just isn't a good memory. I'm trying not to make light of it."

He glanced at an angry Raven-child, trying to shoo away the otherwise preoccupied feline creature from her book.

"So, was he your first friend?" he asked, looking back at her without allowing his emotions to cloud her thoughts. He knew letting her feel his sympathy wouldn't get her to open up to him. At least not right away.

She nodded slowly, glancing at the cat-creature. "He's a Malkarasha. What their species comparatively lack in strength or power alongside other creatures, they make up for in timeless loyalty. They are- were, relatively uncommon, eventually grew larger than their masters, and lived longer than most people. You know the legend of witches with black cats?"

"Yeah."

"Well, guess where that came from," she remarked, glancing back at her younger self.

"So Azarathian's are the ones who inspired the whole 'witches with cats on brooms' legend, huh?" Beast Boy contained his excitement, and everything else. He had already picked up on the pattern with their shared memories: terrible things happened that shaped them into the people they had become. If they were here, he could already begin making guesses at all the bad things that would happen.

"They weren't brooms," Raven sighed, noticing how quiet he had become, his ears perked attentively despite his reserved features. "They were rods and staves." She turned back to her younger self's weak attempts to _Shoo!_ the creature, the Malkarasha, from its place.

The child Raven sighed, her studying forgotten as she crossed her arms angrily. "You're not cute. You're not funny. Now move! You shouldn't even be here."

The Malkarasha just blinked at her, purring smugly as it rolled over, exposing its fuzzy belly with a _Mraaaw!_ It obviously wasn't going anywhere.

"Fine! If it will get you to move," she growled, hesitating before gently rubbing her fingers softly against its belly, her fingers tensing slightly and her eyes clamping shut, as if expecting her powers to suddenly erupt. The reverberation of a purr shook through their contact, and slowly, she began to relax.

And for a moment, a smile touched her face. "You're not so bad," she muttered, but the happiness could be seen in her slightly parted lips.

It suddenly grew quiet, the surrounding memory mute, paused in time, but still it seemed to be making progress. Beast Boy waited for Raven to continue, and she waited for him to ask a question. Neither wanted to speak, knowing where it would ultimately lead. So in the end, both opted for silence.

"You don't have to show me Rae," he finally whispered, his hand finding purchase on hers of its own accord, his better judgement not giving him a chance to retreat. "I can try and pull us back into one of mine."

"I don't think it works like that," she whispered back, not pushing his hand away, but neither encouraging it. "We don't even know how we ended up in my memories, remember? So, for now, I- don't mind showing you mine." Her voice cracked halfway through her sentence, barely audible if it wasn't for Beast Boy's inhuman senses.

He scratched his neck, clearly somber when he couldn't do anything else about it. "But Rae-"

"No 'buts'," she stated, her features becoming deceptively lax and calm again. "I don't know how this will all work in the end, so we might as well see it through."

Almost half-consciously, she checked on the status of Beast Boy's- their healing body. It seemed to be doing well, with no more interruptions to cause her worry. Then again, she'd only really know when they were in one of his memories again. That was the only time insight into his condition could be gathered; when his body was falling apart in conjunction to a guilty memory. Still, it was something else to focus on.

"Alright," he said, removing his hand from hers. "But that 'look away of I tell you to' thingy is still in effect, right?"

"Did it ever cease to be in effect?" she inquired with a single raised eyebrow.

"Uh, no," he offered, a small shrug to his shoulders. "Just reminding you in case… in case there's something you don't want me to see."

"I'll keep that in mind." A strange sensation tightened in her gut. It was… Happy. Not giddy, boisterous, or turbulent as she had known the emotion to be. It was soft, simple. Beast Boy had offered for them to stop, and when she refused, he reminded her of the condition she had requested during her last memory. For some reason, that made her Happy.

A moment of uncomfortable silence fell between them again. "So did he become your familiar?"

Raven shook her head. "No. I didn't know the ritual for creating a familiar, and neither was I permitted to use it whether or not I knew it."

"You mean, you knew some spells, but weren't allowed to use them?" he asked, his nose and brow quirked in a way that Raven could identify as an "unfair" tick, no empathy reading necessary. "Well that's a load of bull."

"Emotional attachment, Beast Boy," she reminded him, silently appreciating his defensive nature. She found it _was_ , if not incredibly annoying and unnecessary most of the time, _endearing_. One of his more mature qualities? Maybe.

"Ritual or not, it wouldn't stop you from growing attached," he replied, his eyes cautiously sharing some of his sympathy with her.

"So I found out." Her tone was slight and passive, but it was too halted, too withdrawn. It caused Beast Boy to suddenly close his eyes in dread, prompting him to gather whatever peace-of-mind he could before reopening them. For her sake.

He turned as the scene melted away, blurry at first, before it streaked away into a distorted clarity, like washing away oil with water.

Something shot by, phasing through Beast Boy's head faster than he could comprehend, warranting an unwanted flinch. He whipped around in time to see rock bouncing weakly on the ground before it rolled.

They were in the towering city, along a simple street, the bright reflective light illuminating even where shadows should have been perceived. A tree could be seen in large square planters at the corner of every street, providing mediocre shade. While the introduction of alleys seemed a foreign concept in the surrounding streets, that's where they seemed to be backed up to, the mouth of an alley. Down it's glowing halls, he could see people crossing back and forth on the other end, too busy to pay any mind.

Turning back around, Beast Boy was surprised to see the faces of children; all dressed in white robes, all angry, all treacherous, and if his instincts were any indication, all enemies. Around them, strange creatures paced, prowled, crawled, and flew; all of varying size, but their eyes gleaming with some arcane intelligence. One was like a young mammoth the size of a large dog, one like a silver wolf pup no taller than his masters knee, another like a large shoulder-hugging red salamander, and another yet like polychromatic tropical parrot that could have easily perched on its master.

"Come on," one of the children dared, a small rock floating in a liquid-like violet energy just above his hands as his pup yipped in affirmation, "you're supposed to be some super-scary castor, right? Well then, show me some of your magic."

The rock became self-propelled, launching once more through Beast Boy's chest, ending with a startled cry. His eyes widening, he turned. Raven sat on the glimmering walk of the alley, her hood drawn up, huddled to herself with her hands covering her head defensively. The elder Raven stood, looking down at her younger counterpart, a sad gleam misting across her eyes.

"Stop it," the little girl begged, her tone little more than bland, but the insistency unmistakable. One of her hands now sported a red welt.

"Dude, not cool!" Beast Boy growled, holding himself back as he remembered that it was just a memory. A really shitty memory that needed to be reminded what 'manners' were. He knew they were just kids, but… he didn't know how to approach this, never mind that he couldn't. On one hand, he might try scaring them, but on the other, he felt like things would get more… abrasive. He was too angry either way to just sit them down and 'talk' it out.

"Pathetic," another child taunted, rubbing the salamander on his shoulder. "You don't even have a familiar. You can't be all that strong."

As if in response to his words, a dark flash had the reprobate clutching his cheek from a sudden bleed of claw marks. The darkened navy blue Malkarasha now stood between them and Raven, it's pupils as thin as the proverbial ice they had decided to walk on. It crouched low with unsheathed claws, an instinctual trait that alleged it wasn't cowering, but honing its precision, aiming for the vitals of foe and prey alike. Its tails had gone from lazy whips to curled scorpions, their spaded ends ridged, but unarmed. Along it's back, the quills began to vibrate in rapid sync, smacking each other in a rattling rasp that would almost be hypnotic if the sound didn't prickle the hairs along Beast Boy's covered arms, and send a chill of predatory excitement down his spine. It hissed, baring its teeth in a following low growl.

"What the…?" The child pulled his hand away, looking between the droplets of blood and the defending creature that had taken residence between them. "You made me bleed!" His salamander rasped from his shoulder, rows of scales along its back beginning to glow a wispy gray as a strange symbol burned to life above it's right eye.

"It's not that scary," the master of the bird stated, a hand drawing up boldly as his hand encased in a wisp of yellow energy that immediately drew the Malkarasha's attention.

"So she does have a familiar," the pup's master contemplated aloud, a small but challenging smile on his face. "So show us that magic you're supposed to have." He launched another rock, aiming instead at the animal. It sidestepped in a blink, it's attention now on him.

Raven looked up, glancing in confusion between the Malkarasha and her abusers as a shot of yellow shock struck swiftly, finding it's mark before it could dodge. The creature didn't seem fazed save for the scent of burning hair that assaulted the air.

Beast Boy watched as his Raven turned away, her eyes closing quickly as she breathed, trying to quickly revert to her old teachings as she attempted to restrain her own emotions. Her face remained passive, but he felt her disturbance as the memory pulsed but once.

The feline growled a meow, it's eyes darting between all who stood presented before it, neither attacking, nor feinting attack, but waiting.

"Isn't it supposed to be familiar against familiar?" the master of the young mammoth asked, patting the creature on the head without heeding the need to join in just yet. "And castor versus castor?"

"Like she's going to do anything?" the bird-child stated, another gathering of energy emerging. "So we might as well coax her out."

Just before he could release his power, the Malkarasha moved, rushing forward in a flurry that left a parallel of slashes across his casted hand. A stream of embers separated them, the salamander next to them spitting with a toothless maw, and the feline retreated. The bird shrieked, darting noisily about, but otherwise unfazed by its master's wounds, as if it were panicking.

A mutter escaped the young Raven's lips, barely audible until she cleared her throat. "Leave him alone." She wobbled a little as she tried to stand, her trembling hand lifting as energy began to gather. But it wasn't her normal energy, like wisps of smoke instead of solid black constructs.

"That's it?" the pup's master asked, disappointment dripped into his voice. "What a letdown." Another stone appeared in his hand, half-consciously launching. Both Raven's hands lifted out, her face straining as the pebble slowed to a halt, now encased in her energy. Instead of reciprocating the attack, she let it drop, clearly exhausted by the effort.

"She can't even defend herself properly," the salamander's master stated, shrugging off the stinging in his cheek as his familiar followed his silent will, both growling. It opened its mouth once more, a flurry of embers flying forth in a smoky stream, as if it were still immature by full-grown standards. "If she can't even do that, then pacifism is the only hope she has. The weak can't protect anyone, or anything."

The smog faded quickly, a weak mew catching their attentions as the Malkarasha stood in the smolder, it's eyes still fierce, but clearly unaccustomed to combat as it took the attack head-on. Despite the immature and weak nature of both attacks, it was clear that it wasn't holding up. It, like the other familiars, was still young, a kitten. Yet still it stood vigilant, glancing between them calculatedly.

"Come on," the mammoth's master stated, clearly bored with the entire interaction as the trunk of her familiar patted her face affectionately. "She won't be able to retaliate, and we're gonna get in trouble if we keep fighting. You know how the adults can be."

With a sigh, even the bird's master reluctantly lowered his hand. "Not sure what good it would do to continue, either. They don't even know how to work together. And she can't use her magic well, and the whole burden is left on the familiar. It's pathetic."

As the two speakers turned to leave, the pup's master looked disappointed. "You're a disciple of lady Azar, which means you're supposed to be really powerful. Azarath may be a world of peace, but what is she teaching you if you're this weak?" Not really expecting an answer, he turned to follow after his friends, a slump of disappointment to his shoulders as the tail of his small companion wagged fervently at his heels.

Raven didn't answer, her hands falling to her sides as she looked down and away, her face as passive as ever if not for the gentle quiver to her lower lip. Somehow, her young emotions were held in check, an epic feat and a half from Beast Boy's view. He couldn't help watching the scene, as though it were pulling him in, pressing forcefully into his chest.

But of course, it didn't end there. What possible reason could it have for leaving it at that? Like the universe was destined to make their, or in this instant: her, life as hellish as possible.

"But your _pet_ made me bleed," the salamander-child spat, his familiar hissing in agreement as it readjusted on his shoulder. "If you think my familiar's embers are dangerous, then you haven't seen fire magic." Orange flames danced along the child's fingers as he pulled up the sleeves of his robe, an angry gleam to his eyes.

"It got me too," the bird's master stated, holding up his scratched-up hand as display. "It was just defending it's master. There's no need to get so angry about it."

"Or use higher grade spells," the young master of the wolf pup added. "There's no point in flaunting power over the weak."

The Azarathian seemed to think on this for a moment, but the look he had didn't fade. It reminded Beast Boy eeriely of the look some of the Titans villains had, that faint, almost desperate hold onto sanity, even if it was only in their heads.

Sadly, it was proof that even amidst the tranquil realms of Azarath, villains could be born.

"GARFIELD! TURN AWAY!"

He only had a moment to close his eyes before the flicking illumination of flames seared through his closed lids. The tangible heat of the memory didn't bother him, and neither did the burning light. What hit him in the next moment was the yowl of an animal in pain that struck his ears, and the scent of burning flesh that scalded his nose, the particles lingering until it was all he could smell.

When the sound stopped, the crackle of satisfied flames took its place, along with the laughter of a child.

"It was so stupid," the laugh cackled. "It wouldn't even move. It's almost so touching if it wasn't so pathetic. Getting wounded to protect it's weak master."

"Idiot!" Beast Boy recognized the voice of the mammothian child, and the distinct shuffling of someone being grabbed by the collar. "What in Azar's name were you thinking?!"

"Please wake up."

His eyes opened of their own accord, turning as they could adjust to the object of his heartbreak. Raven kneeled on the blackened ground, her little hands trembling over the crisped form a distinct creature. Even to his enhanced ears, he could still hear the sizzle of flesh, and the weak breath of blister-filled lungs as it slowly ceased to rise, it's final breath weak and near soundless.

"Wake up," she teared, a faint popping from her hands ignited a serene blue light. But it was too late. Healing would do no good now.

Beast Boy's teeth seethed as his anger did little to mask the tears he could feel dripping down his face. It wasn't fair. She finally had a friend, and now-

A hand gently met his, and his gaze shot over, his anger dissipating. His Raven was standing unsteadily, one trembling arm outstretched to his. Her hood was pulled over her bent head, hiding her clenched eyes, but her visible mouth betrayed no emotion.

"This is all the physical contact I can manage. You're too emotionally taxing," she muttered with weak humor, a slight tremble to her voice she did her best to hide.

Beast Boy nodded, his mouth drawn tight as he turned back to the memory.

"Wake up," Raven sobbed again, her small healing hands flickering out when no response came, trying to stop the quivering as she reached down, stopping just short of touching it. Her cries grew louder when no response could be gleaned. "Arii'nok, wake up!"

"Arii'nok," the elder Raven stated, squeezing Beast Boy's hand a little tighter as a silver tear fell across her cheek, "it means, 'Lion's Shadow'. I wasn't… supposed to… name him… but-" The tears flew freely and silently now, punctuated by the cries of her younger counterpart.

It took only moments, the Azarathian children now gathered a short distance away, starring wide-eyed at the unfolded scene as though it were a dream. A dream that quickly turned into a nightmare.

Raven's weeping melded seamlessly into cries of rage, her hands gripping into the ground as though it were putty under her hands. Two droplets of blood formed on her forehead, the skin pulling and stretching as she screamed angrily. The blood drops formed into bleeding lines until the flesh around them ripped open, two burning red eyes crying tears of blood as her lower violet eyes followed them into crimson rage.

The walls and walks around her encased in dark energy, the trees at street corners splintering instantly with a groaning _Crack!_ upon contact with her shadowed powers.

The children and their familiars balked, the masters' faces sheets of white that made Raven's complexion colorful by default. Their villainous comrade forgotten for the moment, they glanced fearfully at the pool of solid black they now stood in.

" _What's the matter_?" she snapped demonically, her face not changing from her rage. No cruel smile, no malicious gaze, just pure hatred written across her visage. " _Not powerful enough for you? It is eight against one. Let's change that_."

The folds of her cloak shot out, thin tendrils emerging around them from the shadowed ground like writhing tentacles, wrapping thickly around them in a hedge-like dome until they disappeared from sight.

"Raven. What have you done?"

Azar appeared, suddenly as usual, her noble gait unaffected by the shifting ground as it attempted to secure her fast, only to bend harmlessly around her.

" _Leave me alone!_ " Raven shrieked, her eyes glowing brighter as more dark whips shot out.

The Spiritual Leader of Azarath was immediately kneeling in front of her, no indication she had moved, not a rush of wind, whisper of incantation, or flicker of movement. She was just there, her finger gently poking Raven's chakra. "Trigon, you seek to influence this child through her rage. Then only through her rage your influence shall remain."

Raven croaked for a moment, grabbing her throat as guttural growl emerged her mouth, a deep, dark familiar voice speaking in unison with his precious Gem. " _Foolish Azar. Do you think you can bind me with the blood of my own? What possible way could you affect my influence?_ " Raven's eyes narrowed in pain, her teeth clenching as she wrestled to withstand the demon that was attempting to manipulate her.

Just hearing that voice again sent shivers up Beast Boy's spine, and if the hand holding his was any indication, it wasn't a voice she wanted to remember either.

White light burned from Raven's four eyes, and the audible sound of breaking glass echoed, the white light breaking into multi-colored hues. "This child is my student, demon. I cannot remove your influence from her blood as it is created from yours, but I have trained her to control her emotions, and your binding to her Rage will fall under that control."

Azar eyes narrowed, her voice dripping with words of the Arcane. " _Be bound Trigon, He who was once formless, who took in the sins of Azarath as sustenance. Ddrez. Be bound to the Rage you crave so desperately from your progeny. Skaath. Be bound as her emotions personify to spite you, and you are left clinging to the one you so desperately seek from her. She is now not Rage, but many. You do not control her._ "

A hiss exited Raven's mouth as a laugh escaped. " _Foolish Azar. Bind my Influence over her to her Rage? Fracture her little girl emotions? You forget, she is my spawn. She is still my blood, with or without my influence! And she will always carry my heritage in her body! She is my Ge-_ "

"You may no longer possess or dominate her will," Azar stated matter-of-factly, a glow entering her eyes. "You're Influence may never leave her, your blood may never leave her, but you will never _control_ her."

The light faded, leaving two violet eyes that slowly closed in exhaustion. Raven slumped in place, her arms falling protectively over the remains of the Malkarasha, droplets of tears wetting the char. The black dome disappeared, fading into nonexistence as the shadows ceased, depositing the crumpled forms of the four Azarathians and their familiars. Their bodies trembled, the fears of the dark plaguing them down to their core.

Azar looked down at the creature's remains, sighing passively as she glanced up at the sleeping child in front of her. "You were too reckless, my dear. The cost of you possessing ties to others is to give up control over your power when you need it most." She gently picked up the child, a wave of her hand removing the body at her feet. "I had hoped I would never have to fracture your soul, but alas, I had no choice."

She turned slightly, in that moment, meeting the changeling's eyes. There was anger there, and Beast Boy swallowed nervously, not knowing what he was seeing, or why she seemed to be glaring at him. He just felt angry for some reason, so he glared right back. Raven deserved better than the lonely fate Azar had prescribed, and no matter how afraid of her mentor he was, he'd be damned if he couldn't prevent that. Azar's glare didn't last more than a moment though as she turned, and left.

The Elder Raven struggled shakily to remain aloft, Beast Boy's arms quickly coming out for support as they held her up. Even as she steadied herself, he removed his hands, sensing her need for even the smallest iota of solitude, but not isolation. Never that.

"Well there you have it," she stated, eyeing the end scene coldly. "In less than a few minutes I lost my only friend, completely lost control, nearly killed some kids, and had my soul fractured into isolated fragments of emotion."

He bit his tongue to keep from speaking out of line as he processed it all. He didn't feel like joking, and nothing he could say could ease that level of pain. Even apologizing seemed vacant to his mind, so he stood there next to her, uncharacteristically silent.

"Do you know the worst part? I should have seen it coming. Malkarasha's are notoriously loyal. Familiar or not, once their trust is earned, they will defend you… to the death."

"That's what family is for, Rae," he whispered, glad when she glanced at him from the corner of her eye. "When it comes down to it, I can't think of anything I wouldn't give to keep you guys safe. I don't think Arii'nok was any different. You can attribute it to his species, but he _chose_ to be loyal to you. That counts for more than a little something."

She just looked at him, wondering why he didn't bring up anything else. It was a lot to cover in a single memory. It was almost too much to deal with all at once. But there he was, encouraging her, or at least attempting to. He seemed unfazed by her younger self's rage, unshaken by the concept of having her soul turned into emotional shards that grew into individual personalities just to contain Trigon's Influence. But there he was, trying to give her memory something more substantial: Hope.

"He couldn't help it," she stated again, doing little to hide her anger toward his statement. "Malkarasha were bred that way."

Beast Boy just smiled gently. "So what did you do to earn his loyalty exactly? All I saw was you trying to push him away." When she tried to come up with a comeback, the silence persisted between them, her mouth opening and closing wordlessly. "My point exactly. It _is_ sad, but looking back on this, you admitted that he was your friend, even though he wouldn't leave you alone and you pushed him away."

"So why wouldn't you leave me alone?" she asked, looking at him head on. There was a shock to his face, as if he had never anticipated such a question ever being asked, much less in this particular circumstance. "I pushed you away, I hurt you, and I insulted you all the time. But you still call us 'friends'. What's so special about me that no matter how much I push everything away, the things I end up caring about push back harder?" Her thoughts were a jumbled mess, but one stood out worse than the others, captured in tears. 'I don't want anyone else to die for me.'

"Because Rae, you need someone to push back. There's nothing special about that," he replied simply. "That's just what happens when the things you care about, care back. Everyone has their way to prove that: Robin insists you train with us, Star wants 'girl time', and Cyborg… I think you don't push him away as hard as the rest of us. He's sort of the neutral fifth-party or something for all of us. But what kind of aspiring best friend would I be if I didn't push back harder than everyone else, whether or not we have anything in common. I'm the one that actually has to work for it." His smile just continued to get brighter, like the clouds moving away from the sun.

"You are my best friend," she muttered under her breath.

"Huh?"

"Nothing." She was glad he hadn't caught it. She looked back at the memory, the sense of sadness she had tightening in her chest, but with it came a sense of gratitude. If this hadn't happened, she might not have become a Teen Titan. What was the saying? 'Tragedy is best harnessed as the kindling to fuel one's personal growth'? Or something like that. If that was the written word spoken, then she hadn't read that particular book in a long time.

"I was just thinking aloud," she amended, turning back to him. "I'll be fine. Promise."

He looked at her suspiciously, mimicking her signature eyebrow raise with near perfect accuracy. "If you say so." He closed his eyes, taking in a deep breath. The mindscape began to alter once again. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah," she nodded. "It's not like there's much of a choice anyway. The past is in the past. For the present, I have to make sure you'll make a full recovery. Azar may have been right about many things, but she was wrong about having emotional connections. It may leave me unbalanced, but I can draw strength from those emotions when I need to. It helped me protect you when it came down to it." Just as quickly she thought, 'Because I'm not losing another friend.'

Beast Boy smiled his appreciation before his face took on a new gloom, his gloved fingers rubbing the back of his neck as something flashed across his eyes. "Just don't get mad on this next one, okay."

Raven did her best to hide her surprise. "You know which memory we're going to? And why would I be mad?"

"Yeah," he said with a small nod. "Let's just say it's a memory that involves us all."

She looked after him curiously, her hood pulled back once more by her power, revealing her whole visage. "The Titans?"

He nodded, his green eyes looking up at her guiltily. "Just… just brace yourself, okay."

The memory burst around them as he seemed to take full control over his own mind. Particles danced like shining lights, coming together as he lifted a hand, one finger tracing it out by design. The color soared together, making Raven wonder where he had learned to manipulate his mind to such degree. Was it training with Mento, or was there something else she was missing altogether?

And had she known sooner, she would have braced a little harder instead of glancing at him like he was the most enigmatic person in the world.

* * *

 **A/N:** Ah yes, another sweet chapter.

Forever again, if there is anything that needs edited, or is connecting in a weird way for you guys, let me know and I'll try to clean up the text. I do accept grammar and spelling errors too (PM these if possible, and I'll add them to my next Hard Edit)

As always (and I'll just keep posting this because its true), keep posting your constructive criticisms, as they will help me know what to look for in my future writings, and for the days I decide to do a hard edit. I look forward to growing as a writer for you guys and myself.

I'll admit, this chapter was more of an original than the others. As stated two chapters ago, Raven's past is largely unexplored, so I improvised while tying in some thing's that left me with far more questions than answers. I can't say what exactly inspired this, save that I was curious how Raven's personality was split into emoticlones, how Trigon's influence latched onto her Rage specifically (as Trigon was never portrayed in the comics as the embodied essence of rage the show seemed to make him out to be. Or maybe that was just me) instead of manifesting with all her emotions, and my own conceptions of Sorcerers (or Sorceresses) having familiars (I play D&D occasionally) while tying in a completely OC creature that I'd been playing with since Raven's last memory (if you guys remember). Oh, and let's not forget her four eyes emerging; my personally favorite moment.

My research did conclude (but was never positive) if there were other full blown magic users on Azarath save Raven and Azar, but the likelihood is strong, so I rolled with it. Given this, I do believe that Azar and Raven were the only Sorcerer's (who's magic is originally obtained through their blood ties), while any other castors could be viewed as a Wizard (whose magic is brought out through intensive study). And yes, Azarath was indeed larger than portrayed in the series. Overall, I think it all turned out okay...if not a little confusing...maybe?

Please indulge my curiosity, and let me know what parts you liked, what parts need work, and overall what you guys think about it so far :D

 _Tamaranian Translations (Original Translation)_ **:**

 _None this week!_

(Review Response disclaimer: I ramble sometimes. That's just me being excited. If I don't ramble, I'm still excited, just calm. Also, I have a "different" sense of humor. I swear it's not you, it's completely and utterly me.)

And now for the new _Reviews Responses_ :

\- dld51: Ah yes, while they're relationship was generally platonic in the series, it is an interesting development when a simple relationship expands into a blooming friendship (or in this case, the meticulously slow crawl of a caterpillar metamorphosing into a butterfly in the midst of a record breaking hurricane)

\- FF8cerberus: Indeed, progress has been made.

\- wigglewolf27: I shall have to allow my suspenseful ways to continuously leave you in agony (what else can I say, I'm a self-admitted sadist). I can say that writing a strange intimate complexity to both Beast Boy and Raven's relationship is an interesting endeavor (and kind of anticipated, giving that they're relationship has remained platonic, with 'moments' throughout the series) to imbalance, that is in my opinion, hilarious. It's how some relationships grow, and it's fun to do that with a hot/cold aspect that is either too much one way, or too much the other. Overall, I've enjoyed putting in the time and effort into developing this story, and even evolving the characters in it.

P.S. A small ceremony may be presented. A shoe box will suffice, with designs drawn in permanent marker. Maybe a small meal of potato chips and mountain dew to celebrate it's life. Rest In Peace Heart. Rest in Peace.

\- AWESOMEROCKSTAR101: Here is the next chapter. I hope you enjoy this one!

\- fatwhiteguy: Glad you like it, and I'll keep the chapters posting as long as I can

*End of Review Response

Oh my, this next chapter may yet take a turn for the worst. Perhaps. Perhaps not. I wish I could show you the previews. They look killer in mind-palace HD. Well until next time, on Falling Apart, Chapter 18 :D


	19. Chapter 18

Chapter 18:

* * *

 **A/N:** I forgot to mention it last week, but it is official that they are coming out with the Titan's live-action tv show (for those of you who don't know)... and I'm not impressed. Robin may or may not have killed some people (and that F*** Batman scene?), Starfire shoots actual fire (though it might be solar radiation) instead of starbolts, Beast Boy wasn't shown transforming (the whole reason I was looking forward to the trailer, and I can't tell if he's pale or pistachio), Raven looks like she's having more issues than just controlling her emotions (I have no problem with this, but she isn't seen being subtle about those emotions either), and it's looking like an attempt toward the RobRae fandom (hey, no offense, but they're not my ship). I get that this may be aimed more toward adults, and I'm cool with that. After all, all the kids who watched the Teen Titans are most likely grown up, so we need some adult content to our favorite heroes. Oh, and where the hell is Cyborg!?

Week twenty has come and gone. Got a little rain this week, but the heat kicked back in.

We're at seventy-nine Reviews, sixty-five Favorites, seventy-five Followers, and over twelve-thousand one-hundred views. (P.S. I use this particular note as a kind of mile stone for myself). We may be reaching our bell curve, but I still can't tell you guys what it means to me to read your reviews, know that we became a favorite, or see the growing number of followers. I hope that my best years of writing are still ahead of me.

R&R, post your QCC, I'll do my best to accommodate any responses you might have for me

Disclaimer: I have a tub of ice cream. If you're reading this assuming I may have finally gained ownership of Teen Titans, then I'm sorry, but I must disappoint. Now I shall eat said tub of ice cream to stave off my depression.

Without further adieu. *Que the dimming of the lights*

* * *

Falling Apart:

Chapter 18-

A carnival. In the middle of a rising dusk. Not something she was expecting, but honestly, who could blame her. It was clearly vacant, the shops and stands, and even the rides unoccupied by vendor and customer alike. But for some reason multiple colors pierced the growing dark from enlarged light bulbs, the sounds of whirring machinery letting her know that there was life despite how empty this world actually was. It was strangely peaceful, despite the implications of chaos that fairgrounds normally insinuated to her. She wouldn't have minded coming here if it was usually this unoccupied.

"So where are we?" Raven glanced around, almost immediately finding a ring toss station. And the remains of an old giant stuffed chicken hanging against the back wall as a prize, it's stuffing exposed in some places like it had been maimed. It was strangely nostalgic, save that this place was worn down and abandoned. It wasn't the fair at the pier; but that also meant that there were no alien-police attempting to nab Starfire via octopi-like robots. She supposed that was a positive.

Even in the setting sun, she could make out the outlines of a roller coaster, and a ferris wheel. She could see the empty glow of a ball-toss station, some of the cups toppled over like they had been recently been bombarded; the racketing of the coaster's ascension gears, the ricketing of the haunted ride cart as it endlessly trekked through its destined course; the broken chime of a merry-go-round, with an ice cream cart sitting next to it that Raven hoped was _empty_ , or the whirring bumper car station. Despite how run down and trashed everything was, it was still surprisingly alive. And kind of spooky… but in a cool way that Raven found curious.

Beast Boy looked down and away, a sense of progressive guilt that had pent up over time giving way as his mental form slithered violently. Raven half-consciously began to sense their conjoined forms for damage, prepared to ensure he didn't fall apart on her, but instead, his form just crawled as he took a breath, releasing it after a few moments. His sense of guilt didn't diminish any less, but he seemed less bound to it, as though he had come to accept it. But his grip on it seemed tighter than the others, as if he couldn't let go of it, as if the blame was his, not circumstance's. He accepted the guilt, but it was rooted deep.

"What happened here?" Raven asked a little more insistently, watching him carefully.

"It was already like …," he gestured around, suggesting to the damage that was littered everywhere, "…this. I swear I didn't bust any of thiiisss." A cringe slowly worked its way onto his face. "On second thought, I did bust some stuff."

Raven looked around, noticing that something very, _very_ important was missing. "Um, Beast Boy, as fascinating as your expertise in the art of demolition is, where are you? I mean, your memory-self."

He hesitated, sighing when he had no terrible joke or mediocre delay to postpone with. He pointed upward at the turning ferris wheel, the words 'Big Wheel' blazing glowingly on its side, like giving the attraction the most obvious name in the world, with a humungous sign to boot, would make up for its lack of originality. "Cart number three," he stated in defeat.

"So, let's go," she stated, only to pull back as he grabbed her wrist. "What's wrong?"

"This-" He opened and closed his mouth wordlessly as he tried to formulate an answer. There was no one thing wrong with this picture. He had known where they were going. He had seen it so clearly. He had lost someone else. But this time, he could blame himself, and nothing Raven could say would stop him from that. "This was right before… Terra left."

There. He said it. He had asked her not to be angry, now he saw that it was a foolish thing to ask. Of course, she was angry. He could feel the sorceress drilling holes through his thicker-than-average skull with her gaze.

"You feel guilty about _this_?"

Her voice had a cold shoulder to it that could have frozen the entirety of Jump City Bay, and possibly the whole West Coast. He couldn't blame her. Terra was never a light subject to bring up, for any of the Titans. It stirred a maelstrom of emotions, both good and… not so good; to be put it simply. Really simply. For him, she had been a crush; a big one. For Raven, she had been a friend. It took all of Raven's might to trust, to call people her friends, and Terra had broken that. So in a way, it was a bigger deal to Raven than it was to him, but no less painful.

"It was my fault," he said simply, not bothering to look at Raven as he leaned against a stray tent, one of it's support poles nestling snuggly between his shoulder blades. Even for a memory, the place was a lot shabbier than he remembered. Maybe the result of having relived it so many times in his own head. "I could have stopped it then. I might have prevented her from leaving with Slade, but-"

He'd never get used to Raven smacking him, whether chastely for saying something stupid, or tossing him out Tower window for interrupting her meditation. But the backhand he got was especially brutal, his mental form's chest clenching painfully in response. He turned to see narrowed eyes and bared teeth glowering wrathfully at him, yet strangely, only her two amethyst irises met him, not the four red eyes of her blood-filled heritage.

"Seriously," she snapped. "You're blaming her shit on yourself. Just how conceded are you? The world doesn't revolve around _you_ Beast Boy."

He couldn't help the bitter hiss that entered his tone. "Are you gonna listen and watch? Or are you going to jump the gun and hit me again? Which is it, _Rae-ven_?"

A splash of Alaskan glacier water would have been warmer than the cold chill that hit the air between them. His cheek stung, but that wasn't what hurt. Her knuckle was beginning to match the angry flush of her pale cheeks. Just as quickly as his anger had risen, it faded, leaving him hollow room in his chest to fill with even more guilt.

"Sorry," he said above a whisper. "I shouldn't have said that. I get why you'd be angry."

"And why would that be?" she huffed, not so easily dissuaded.

"How long did it take you to trust me, Rae? A year or so?" He noticed her nod gently from the corner of his eye, her eyebrow raising curiously, wondering where his point was going. "I know you didn't show it for our sakes, but… it must have felt like someone dropped a cement pillar on your chest when Terra… betrayed us. She was your friend too. You _trusted_ her.

"And believe me, it was easier to be angry at her when she tried killing us than it was to feel sorry for her," he stated, his fists clenching slightly. "Anger does that, empowers us. But once it's gone-" Enough was said as his hands went completely slack, the energy seeming drain from his mentally projected body.

"Yes, I'm still angry at her," Raven admitted, still waiting for him to make his point as she crossed her arms.

"You invest what you can into your friendships, Raven. I know what that looks like for you." He made a small attempt at a smile. "You have to control your emotions to control your powers, but you spare the team what little bit of yourself that you can. It seems small, but for you, it's like you're handing us your world. When you do that, you have to trust that we'll be by your side when you need us, despite not being able to meet what some might consider a normal level of friendship.

"So for Terra to take that and use it against you… it hurt. Maybe more than you'd like to admit. Like someone took a piece of you that you had shared and shattered it. And in your case, it can seem quite literal."

Raven wanted to hate him so badly right then. Was she really so easy to read? Maybe. Maybe not. Friends were something she hadn't truly known until Earth, and she counted herself blessed to have the few that she did. Friends she could laugh with, and that would laugh with her. They shared joys, sorrows, hurts, and their hearts. Losing one to something like betrayal seemed petty; or at least that's what she told herself. It seemed like it happened too often to other people, like it was as normal as Waffle Wednesday at the Tower; but it felt like a knife in her ribs. Her heart was elated when she was accepted by someone, so much so, that she often had to meditate to contain the sheer joy she felt. To have that acceptance turned against her into something worse than rejection… she didn't know what else to feel but angry if it kept the multitude of other choking emotions at bay.

"Pretty harsh coming from the guy with a crush on her," Raven stated, finding her normally familiar monotone constricting.

Beast Boy didn't look at her, his small smile still unwavering on his face. "Maybe, but I'm well aware that that's what it was: a crush. A dude is supposed to have at least a few of those, right? But that's all it was." That admission seemed to deflate him, his hands wrapping protectively around his elbows. "I think I could still be friends, but… we'd never pick up where we left off. That ship was sank in the harbor."

To hear that from Beast Boy of all people. Raven knew he had been hurt, but he seemed like the type to have an infinite amount of forgiveness towards his friends. She supposed even he had his limits, as bottomless as some of those limits appeared.

"Anyway," he interjected with a deep, albeit bored, breath before any further words could be exchanged, "there's a memory to see. There won't be much left if we let it slip by."

Before Raven could formulate a response, the ground began to shake, a large fissure in the earth appearing. It grew, cracking through to solid foundation rock as it consumed the ferris wheel, sinking the tremendous structure with little to no effort in strained groans from the collapsing metal supports. It was clear to Raven that Terra had used her powers, the damage minimized to only the area around the fair ride.

"Come on!" She watched as the memory of Beast Boy pulled Terra along through the dust cloud that had otherwise concealed all vision, running quickly past the merry-go-round and straight for the House of Mirrors. He barely hesitated to run inside, followed quickly by the blonde ex-Titan.

Raven continued to watch as they were pulled with the memory through the halls of the attraction, the mirrors having no space between each other, creating a vast kaleidoscope as mirror reflected off of mirror in an infinite stratum of realms that could only be accessed through each corresponding echoing image. The two Teen Titans ran down its halls, giving the walls a sense of motion that left ghost-like projections of themselves several feet before and after their steps.

The mirrors lead to a dead end, a circular room of mirrors that touched every angle of the panicked teens faces as they searched for a way out. Patting his uniform belt, Beast Boy searched quickly for something he wasn't finding.

"I lost my communicator! Give me yours!" he demanded quickly, holding out his hand insistently.

"I don't have it," Terra responded, her arms raising in resignation.

A determined look entered his eye. "Then we've got to get back to the Tower and-"

"Beast Boy, I'm not going back," she interjected, shaking her head dismissively, "I can't."

The shame that came over Terra's face made Raven fume angrily. She didn't have a right to that look, like she was sorry she had thrown her team, her _friends_ , to the creature that was Slade.

"What? Why can't you?" Beast Boy asked, a look of shock and confusion crossing his face.

"Because she's not your friend. She's my apprentice." The monotonic voice of Slade echoed through the room, giving no indication of his presence, even as the half-orange, half-black masked villain's bulky form reflected through every mirror, each one eerily staring at Beast Boy.

The changeling observed each one, attempting to find the real among all the fakes, until he noticed he was suddenly alone.

"Terra? Terra!" He glanced around, doing a one-eighty in an attempt to find where she could have possibly disappeared to.

"The girl you knew was merely an illusion. A fantasy," Slade taunted, his reflections unmoving save for the mouth underneath his mask. "In reality, she's been working for me."

"That's a lie!" Beast Boy's hands clenched, his teeth gritting. He ran for the nearest mirror, his fist shattering the whole of it in one strike.

"I found her…," Slade continued, each moment he spoke punctualized by a cry of anger from Beast Boy, and swiftly followed by the sounds of shattering glass. "…I trained her to control her impressive powers…. And then, I sent her to destroy your little 'T'…. From the inside out."

Beast Boy backed away, the mirrors around him cracked and shattered beyond repair. "No! Terra would never!" Beast Boy denied, huffing slightly from the excursion. There was only one mirror left, and it continued talking as though nothing had happened.

"Tonight, her orders were to strike. But I guess she took pity on you. Perhaps she wanted to keep you as a pet. However, despite this minor error in judgement, she _was_ kind enough to deactivate the security at Titan's Tower. Your friends are being annihilated as we speak."

Beast Boy's teeth clasped until they grinded, his eyes clenching shut until he trembled angrily. "Liar!"

"Beast Boy." As he turned around, his mouth opened in surprise, not quite wanting to register what he saw. Terra stood tall, her face lax and passive, a contrary to her gentle tone. And behind her, Slade just stood with his back to the opening of the room, her arms folded in a way that might have been smug under the circumstances. "It's the truth."

Raven watched how his eyes widened, how the denial tried to make itself known through them, only for his voice to betray the truth his hurt couldn't even begin to reject. "Terra… why?"

"Because you could never give her what she needs," Slade answered in her stead, Terra looking down and away guiltily.

Beast Boy growled, changing swiftly into a roaring tiger as he pounced. Terra ducked as Slade lifted the creature over his head, depositing him in the mouth of the entrance. Before Beast Boy could reconstitute himself, Slade had drawn a blaster, shooting him.

With a grunt, Beast Boy reverted back into his human form, collapsing on the ground.

Slade prepared to fire again, clearly going for a more lethal blow as he aimed down at the wounded Teen Titan.

Gasping, Terra's hands enveloped in their yellowish corona, her fists prepared to unleash her powers. "No. I won't let you hurt my friend," she stated angrily.

As composed as ever amidst her assumed threat, Slade glanced back at her. "Dear child, you don't have any friends."

His visible eye suddenly turned back as a shadow grew over him, widening in the realization that he had let his guard down. A green bear stood on its hind legs, a clawed paw slashing downward at the villain's mask as it pushed him back. Slade jumped up, pushing off its head to land opposite of the animal, only for it to tackle him in a 'bear hug'. He was pinned, the bear's weight keeping him down even as he struggled to push up.

Terra just watched, her mouth agape at Beast Boy's ferocity, and Raven could understand why. No one expected him to get angry. He was always so innocent and carefree, smiling and cracking jokes. Sometimes it was a shock to remember that he was also an animal, with all their instincts and untamable character, but most importantly, that those primal natures were held in check by a human psyche. And like every other human, he was capable of tremendous and terrible anger. If Raven's memory served her right, this was before he'd even been exposed to the lab chemicals that had unearthed his more primal side. His anger in this memory, even before the chemicals… it still took a moment to process. It wasn't something one just became accustom to. But after all that Raven had seen since the incident with Adonis that afternoon, there left little doubt to just how much wrath crawled beneath the surface of his green skin. Even though it was only a memory, Raven raised her mental fortifications, protecting her mind from the sheer intensity of his rage in that moment.

But for the moment, this side of the shapeshifter seemed like news to both Slade and Terra. As if her fight-flight-fail response had finally switched gears, Terra turned and ran back down the mirrored hall.

The green bear's seemingly blank eyes stared after her for a moment, before it reared its head back, smashing it into Slade. The grunt that the villain gave was satisfying, memory or not. Beast Boy quickly returned to human, huffing heatedly as he ran after Terra.

He found her quickly in another room, just like the last, save for the mirrors were undamaged. She sat on her knees, supported by a single arm as she seemed to come to terms with her own actions. "Beast Boy, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," she cried, unable to shed tears. "I never meant for any of this to happen."

"Then why did you let it?" he growled venomously as he approached, her head shooting up almost fearfully.

"I don't know, okay?" she stated, one hand to her head as if she still could process all that had just happened. "I don't know. Slade, he helped me. He saved me from myself. He said I owed him, but-"

"So, it was all a game? You were just pretending?" His words were as much of a demand for answers as it was an accusation.

"No! You said you'd be my friend, no matter what, remember?"

Even Raven could see she was grasping for anything, anything that could diminish the guilt her conscious had plagued her with. She had betrayed them, left them to die at the mercy of Slade's robots, and she expected all the pieces to just fall into place for her like a puzzle, from the one person she had "spared".

Beast Boy's memory-self turned away bitterly, barely looking over his shoulder. "Slade was right. You don't have any friends," he spat back, taking the villains words and driving them home like a serrated knife.

"Apprentice, come," Slade stated, appearing in the doorway as if he had always been there. His armor looked worse for wear, and his mask didn't deny that he had taken one of his biggest thrashings from the Teen Titans yet. Terra backed away from Beast Boy, the look on her face like she had been the one betrayed. "We've had a change of plans."

Her eyes opened again, the guilt and fear suddenly gone, as if the emotions themselves had merely been covers. In its place, she glared at Beast Boy, her face taking on a vengeful glower that promised her return. With no further words, they both backed away, disappearing into the shadows, and leaving Beast Boy alone with his own reflections.

The current Beast Boy's hand swiped through the memory as though it were stilled water, ripples blurring through it before it completely disappeared. "It _was_ _my_ fault," he whispered. "I told her that I'd be her friend no matter what on that stupid ferris wheel, and I couldn't do that."

Raven opened her mouth to argue with him, but he beat her to the punch. "If I had just told her she was still my friend, she might have left Slade. She might have come back with me. We wouldn't have had to fight her! She and Slade wouldn't have taken over the city! And you guys wouldn't have got hurt!" His fists smashed solidly into air, the memory warbling across his mind like plexiglass.

She remembered. He had returned even as the Slade-bots had continued to pour into the Tower. There seemed to be no end to them and the team had been all but spent. And then out of the blue, he dropped in. A flurry of claws, horns, shrieks, and growls as he morphed from form to form; a shapeshifting blender that ripped through armor and circuitry. His apparent wrath had subsided once he had smashed the last one's head underfoot, remaining only long enough to explain everything that had happened between the time of lights-out and his subsequent return.

His potent anger, and afterward his consuming grief. She had felt it all, taking precaution to shield herself from it. Normally, she would have reprimanded him for his bursting emotions, but she couldn't. She had let him grieve even as she had basked in her own pressured anger at the former Teen Titan. Meditating hadn't been optional, but a necessity designated to protect her friends. But all the same, he was right. Once the anger was gone, there was nothing left but whatever despairing feelings trudged to the surface; and in her case, the anger gave way to a bottomless pit of pure, unrefined Rage that drowned over any sentiment or sorrow she held toward her former friend.

"It wasn't your fault Garfield." How many times had she said that now? It seemed like far too many. "Terra made her bed, and unfortunately for her, that means she had to sleep in it. Our actions have consequences, good or bad, and she chose to turn against the people who cared for her. Blaming yourself for rejecting a friendship that cost actual friends in the process was as reasonable as you can get."

"But I could have-" His voice was caught off when his lips were pinched together by a surprisingly strong index finger and thumb.

"I know she had trouble controlling her power," Raven stated, as though it hadn't been common knowledge to the team. "I know she was scared. I know she feared that she might be rejected. Believe me, I've been there. But that doesn't mean it was your responsibility to ease her selfish conscience when she betrayed us."

His eyes softened, not even bothering to struggle against her pinched fingers as he looked down and away. He remembered telling the team about her, the girl who had given up being a Titan to be 'normal'. After defeating the Brotherhood of Evil, after returning home to find that so much had changed, it was more a shock to think that she was still alive. Whether she had truly lost her memories, or whether she 'chose' to forget, she made her choice, and that was her decision. Just as it was his when he rejected her.

"I ended the world," she continued, letting go of him completely. "And there isn't a day that goes by that I wish I had said 'Screw It' to that stupid prophecy. In a way, I suppose I get her. She was face with a choice between her friends and circumstance, and it ended up being the wrong one. Neither of us can change that."

Even if Raven had known about her destiny for years, it didn't change the fact that she despised Terra. A part of her wondered if it was because of her betrayal, or if, even after blaming Terra, she had gone and done the exact same thing. Giving into the circumstances instead of trusting her friends. Choosing to let someone else take the blame. For Terra, she had lived in denial of her choice, blaming the Titans for not excepting her when she was the one who accepted training from a villain. For Raven, she had blamed destiny and fate, abstract concepts that ultimately might have been circumvented by a simple choice. In all honesty, she couldn't even build up the mental thought process to blame her demonic father. In the end, it had been her own choice, just as it had been her friends choices to fight for her sake.

She looked down, finding the blank space they stood on far more interesting now than it ever had been. It was interesting how the mind could become so peaceful, even after such terrible memories. She would have thought farther on it had something not rested gently on her head. Glancing up, a single gloved hand was patting her head, it's owner no longer denying his height over her as he stood all of an inch taller.

"But you came back from it," he said, an almost knowing look in his eye, as if he had seen a little of her thoughts. "You made a bad choice, but you owned up to it, destiny or not. We didn't hate you for it, and we certainly won't hold it over your head. The important part is that, in the end, you decided to make yourself stronger because of it. Even if it was the most stupid thing I've ever seen you do. Only one of us doing stupid stuff is allowed, and that's my job, so don't do it again."

The last part was a joke, a jab, and Raven was glad he still had a sense of humor despite the seriousness of the circumstances. It was a trait endearingly his. "Yeah. Not my finest moment," she agreed, moving her head out from under his hand.

"If I'm honest Rae, if Terra ever decided to come back, I'd welcome her back," he said simply, his blunt honesty as much a relief as an inconvenience for her. "I know you don't like her, but if we could accept that you were destined to destroy the world, I think we can accept her joining the dark side." He scrunched his eyes in thought and confusion. "Which is worse: destroying all existing life on the planet by association and owning up to it, or betraying us, destroying our home and city, and denying responsibility for it? I mean, they both sound terrible."

Raven might have had time to be offended if she couldn't see that actual conundrum that was playing out across his face. He was seriously putting thought into it. His fingers scratched the top of his head as he attempted to glean some actual understanding from his own words.

"But she won't come back," Beast Boy concluded, his thoughts taking him outside the present.

'Things change, Beast Boy. The girl you want me to be is just a memory.' Those words haunted him to this day, taunting him with the possibility that she did remember everything, but chose to live apart from it. Strangely, he felt at peace about it. In a way, she had made her peace with the Titans by collapsing an unstable volcanic eruption on top of Slade, and living a normal life made her happy. After all, not everyone with super-powers was cut out to live as either a hero or villain. Sometimes they were better off living a pedestrian life, free of the burden that came with their powers, super or otherwise. They were still people after all.

Raven monitored him carefully, waiting for the guilt to slam into him, pull him down. The guilt hadn't diminished, but to her relief, it didn't suffocate him this time; she didn't feel their body attempt to shapeshift to negate the degradation of his DNA. Instead, a sense of calm, and acceptance rolled over him. He was happy, even if it was directed at their former teammate.

He stretched, his normal grin dominating every aspect of his visage. It wasn't any less painful, but now it at least felt real, authentic. "Well, I guess that settles that. So where are we going next?"

Raven gave a small smile as she analyzed their shared body outside the mindscape. He wasn't falling apart, and from what she could tell, her powers had ceased healing them, leaving their singular entity to float aimlessly over the Med-Bay bed. "Back to reality," she answered, strangely enjoying the look of confusion on his face. "I think you'll be fine. Your DNA feels incredibly stable right now. Or at least, it's doesn't feel like it's going to fall apart any time soon. Physically and emotionally you feel great, but I'll double check every couple of days just to make sure."

"Could we stay like this for a moment?"

She turned to look at him, interested in the strangely calm look on his face. Although, it was clear that a little red had gone to his cheeks. "Can I ask why?"

"It's just… this is one of the few times we're probably going to have a 'moment'. So, I'd like it to last as long as possible," he admitted, his index fingers poking nervously. "At least, until my mouth gets the better of me and I ruin it."

She felt compelled to dismiss it. If an alert occurred while they were both still merged, then it would mean the Titans were two people short; almost half the team would be gone. There was no need to stay if her work was done.

"Please," he asked, his ears drooping pitifully and his eyes widening as they grew forcefully moist. 'The Face' begged her to comply, his sad puppy impersonation impeccable.

"And if I say no?"

"I'll beg you until you say yes," he stated with a small pout to his voice, unfaltering in his attempt to persuade her.

Raven was about to say 'no', up until a someone decided to speak up. 'Awww, he's being too cute. Say yes.' To her surprise, it was Rude who spoke up, her gravelly dull voice unmistakably nervous. It was almost as if her other emoticlones had put her up to it, but something told her otherwise.

She sighed, gently reading his emotions. What may have once been little sprites of hope earlier that day was now an entire radiance of bluish light about him. Any brighter and he might get a signal into space.

"Fine," she relented, making note to herself for this to be the last time she gave in to that sappy look that was by no means, actually working.

'So we _do_ have a soft side. Fascinating,' Knowledge stated, a clear mental note being broadcasted across her mental spectrum like fireworks. It was unnecessary save to internally humiliate her to her otherwise already informed emotions. Thankfully, Garfield wasn't an empath.

His face lit up like a beacon, hope replaced by a sense of joy she wished she had seen sooner in their hero careers. But it was still annoying none-the-less. His emotions were no less bright or quiet than normal, blinding or deafening, no matter how one looked at it, like he was creating a tsunami in a koi pond.

It all suddenly vanished, replaced by a carefully regulated sense of embarrassment and concern. "Sorry," he muttered, smiling sheepishly. "I keep forgetting that it can overwhelm you if I don't hold it back."

"No problems," she replied, suddenly aware that she was clutching her forehead at the sudden vacancy. And yet another mystery of Garfield she was inclined to crack. "So what did you have in mind?"

He smiled, turning around and with a deep inhale, blew the nothingness away with nothing more than the gentle exhale of his breath. The world was replaced by a view that had been a part of their world for years now.

The roof of the Tower.

A strange comfort rose in Raven as she stood at the top of the massive 'T'. Almost reflexively, her chin rose, her nose flared, and she inhaled the salty scent of the familiar sea breeze, an almost sweet welcome home if she hadn't known that it was a memory. All the same, her own thoughts of her many meditations, alone or with Starfire, entered her mind. The integral calm it brought was by far worth the recall.

Beast Boy quickly jumped toward the drop-off of the building's side, planting his bottom firmly along the ledge and letting his feet hang loose. He turned toward her with a smile, patting the spot next to him as he turned toward the more expansive end of the horizon, the ocean seeming to stretch on forever.

"Why here?" Raven asked, taking up the spot next to him in a cross-legged fashion. "Of all the places you could have chosen, this is the one you pulled us to."

He smiled as his eyes closed, basking in the simulated warmth of the imaginary sun. "Because this is my home, Rae. It's the first real one I've ever known. I was always moving around from place to place with my biological parents, I was more like an abused pet with Bob and Arnold, it was more of a prison with Mister Galtry, and it was a boot camp with Steve."

"Who's Galtry?" she asked, not recalling that name in the slightest.

His smile faltered for a moment before returning in earnest. "Another time perhaps. Maybe after I can get more of this stuff off my chest." He opened his eyes and looked at her quickly. "Only if you want to, I mean. I have a lot of it, and I'd still like to talk with you about it sometime if that's alright. It's nice to have someone listen."

"As long as you don't expect me to talk. My end wasn't part of the plan," she stated dryly, staring out over the glistening waters. "But I'm curious what else you could possibly feel guilty about."

He seemed hesitant to share right then and there on the spot, his gloved hands fiddling nervously with the Tower's edge. "Take your pick. I messed up on a mission with the Doom Patrol and it almost got Rita killed, I got Cyborg infected with a virus, or…." He paused, unsure whether or not he should mention it.

The particular moment he dwelled on seemed intrinsically important to him, but Raven didn't push once his emotions settled around it. Instead she focused on the cool breeze that caught the air under her cloak, the folds shifting off to one side like a bundled curtain.

Before she could begin straightening out her cloak again, she heard, "… I called you creepy."

She turned to look at him, her cloak temporarily forgotten. She just smiled to herself, shaking her head slightly. "You're still hung up on that? I thought the hug I gave you was as clear as 'I forgive you'. I guess not."

"Maybe I was too busy taking a Stank Ball to the face," he smiled back, his gaze lingering a little longer when he noticed her smile. His eyes suddenly downcast, looking down at the water below as a thought came to mind. "Hey Rae?"

"What?"

"I know this is in my head and all, but does this mean you have your emotions under control? I mean, I've seen you smile, cry, get angry, and you've expressed it all. Does that mean you can express yourself outside my head now?"

Her smile ceased, a tragedy in and of itself if ever he could recall one. She inhaled, exhaling with a mild exasperation. "No. In the mind, I can express freely. You and Cyborg have seen my mind, what it looks like. All _expressive_ and stuff." She shivered like the term was a chill up her spine just to repeat aloud. "They even kept the names that Cyborg gave them, and the ones he didn't give, chose names for themselves.

"But no. I still have to maintain control outside your mind Beast Boy," she stated in finality. "My powers may be generally safely contained within a mentally projected space, but they still function. I still have to maintain them outside, because those things are not projections. Once they break, the damage is permanent… including our friends. I wouldn't be surprised if the Med-Bay was turned on its side at this rate."

Beast Boy snorted in amusement, earning him an equally amused glare. "Still," he said, his mood a little dampened, "it was, well… nice. I mean, the crying and stuff was kind of normal, but seeing you smile was great. Now if only I could get you to laugh."

Deadpan violet eyes glanced at him but revealed a slight of comic intention. "Don't push your luck."

It became quiet between them, both Titans simply enjoying the company for what little time they could spare left in the mindscape. Even though it was all a construct, it _was_ beautiful. Not as vivid as the actual view, but for some reason, Beast Boy's mind gave it a sense of… personal touch, that Raven couldn't quite put her finger on. Like she was seeing it the way he did. Though what that point-of-view entailed was outside her grasp.

"I hope we can hang out like this on the flip-side," he stated softly, his feet kicking lightly against the fabricated metal sidings. There was a slight inquire to it, as if he was asking without asking if that was okay with her.

"Sounds like it might be fun," Raven replied, ignoring his beaming smile as he looked at her. "But no arcades."

"Nah-uh-uh," he chastised lightly, his finger wagging in emphasis. "That's not how it works, Rae. We have try things the other likes too."

Raven felt a small smile creep to her lips. "Even reading actual books, _quietly_?" She glanced over at him, holding in her pleasure when his smile faltered slightly.

"Sure. Why not?" he gritted out forcefully, his words not matching the disguised agony on his face. It was quickly replaced by a gentle smile. "Maybe we can get some coffee once I wake up."

"I'll take a tea," she agreed, finding the idea kind of sweet. "I know a quiet place in the city."

"I was kinda thinking… _I'd_ make it," he corrected nervously, his hand rubbing the back of his neck. "You know, maybe getcha a taste of real Lamumban spiced coffee. Not just the dream stuff."

She glanced at him, hiding her surprise behind a passive face. He wasn't just offering to go out for coffee, he was offering to make her a cup of the good stuff. At least 'good' as far as his mind had made it anyway.

"I mean… you don't have to," he blurted out, his hands waving defensively. "Tea is fine. But it looked like you really enjoyed the coffee and I know you like quiet, and the roof is quiet as long as I'm quiet, so-" He left his words unfinished as he looked to her for an answer.

'Come on, Rae,' Brave interjected, leaning her shoulder against an imaginary wall in her own mind. 'The guy is practically begging. Just let him make you a damn cup of coffee.'

'Should we put honey in it?' Knowledge asked, her brows furrowing curiously. 'Does honey even go in coffee? We haven't tried it that way yet.'

'If we must, just have _one_ cup,' Temperance insisted, mental images of Raven with the jitters and a slowly cultivated addiction to coffee plaguing her mind. Suffering only huffed a nasal agreement.

'A lovely interaction between friends,' Passion said with a meaningful smirk, Happy giggling right next to her.

Raven ignored the lot of them, instead focusing on the boy, or rather, young man, asking to make her coffee. Now that she thought of it, they never really did anything together. They took morning flights together every now and then, sure, but Starfire usually mediated the arrangements. That is, _if_ Beast Boy woke up in the morning. But other than that, there was nothing, really _them_. They spent so much time fighting that hanging out was never really an option.

'Well, I can't always jump inside his head to hang out. And we won't know anything else if we always fight,' she reasoned. "Yeah, coffee sounds good. But it can wait until we're sure that you're okay, alright."

His smile was as blinding as ever, the ear-to-ear gleam made all the brighter by the imaginary sun. "Sweet!" He suddenly looked bashful as he scratched the back of his neck. "Sorry. I'll work on keeping my tidal wave emotions in check."

Raven just smiled at his sincerity. "See you on the flip-side?"

"Sure," he replied. A confused look suddenly hit his face, his head cocking to the side like a puppy's. "But how are you gonna get out?"

She just smiled. "You leave that to me, and sleep."

He didn't know why he was suddenly feeling so sleepy in a dream, but he couldn't help it as his vision blurred. Maybe it was just because she had suggested it. But being sleepy couldn't be all that bad, especially if they last features he remembered were Raven's.

And it was bonus since she had her hood down, the last of his mindscape's constructed sea breeze catching her violet shoulder length hair in a gentle wind.

* * *

 **A/N:** Just to let you guys know, this _is_ the final stretch. I'm anticipating a total of 21-ish chapters plus prologue and epilogue (so about 23 total) before I go on to the sequel.

Forever again, if there is anything that needs edited, or is connecting in a weird way for you guys, let me know and I'll try to clean up the text. I do accept grammar and spelling errors too (PM these if possible, and I'll add them to my next Hard Edit)

As always (and I'll just keep posting this because its true), keep posting your constructive criticisms, as they will help me know what to look for in my future writings, and for the days I decide to do a hard edit. I look forward to growing as a writer for you guys and myself.

I loved writing this chapter, especially since it gave me an excuse to re-watch a few of the episodes. If it came off a lot less detailed, I apologize, but I wrote it assuming that the readers had watched Teen Titans. For a guilty memory of Beast Boy's, it made perfect sense to me. I think I explained most of my reasoning through the dialogue, but let me know your thoughts on the matter.

Please indulge my curiosity, and let me know what parts you liked, what parts need work, and overall what you guys think about it so far :D

 _Tamaranian Translations (Original Translation)_ **:**

 _None this week!_

(Review Response disclaimer: I ramble sometimes. That's just me being excited. If I don't ramble, I'm still excited, just calm. Also, I have a "different" sense of humor. I swear it's not you, it's completely and utterly me.)

And now for the new _Reviews Responses_ :

\- destroyer63: Don't quote me, but I think that every time you view any one chapter, it counts as a view. Move on to another chapter, and it counts as another view. So hey, a few "rereads" is totally fine by me. And I'll do my best.

\- FF8cerberus: Are you not sure what to say because it was that good? Was it too random? Any minute detail can help me improve it.

\- wigglewolf27: My god man (or woman?), how many times did you read that chapter. I can honestly say that you probably added more dynamic to Raven in your Review than I was aware I had written in my story. I know that even when I write, sometimes things end up connected that I had no idea about, and an outside view connects the dots for me, but dang. Way to shoot rhyme and rhythm into my story. It makes more sense to me now than it did when I wrote it. LOL!

I'm sorry to have caused you angst, and unfortunately, yes, emotions suck. Also unfortunately, they weren't actually made to be contained and controlled, hence Raven's more explosive moments. Like a pressure cooker. Leave it bottled up long enough and... _BOOM!_ (Disclaimer: Don't try this at home kids) Surprisingly, this never occurred to the monks of Azarath (comics or otherwise).

P.S. I can live with barbecue-flavor, but I'm bringing dill-flavored and black peppercorn as back up.

Looking forward to your review on this chapter.

\- Junior VB: Unfortunately, that was Garfield's childhood. Of course Atlas and Overload are causing trouble; as nice as it would be if they just sat down every once and a while to drink a coffee and chill; who knows it might make for some great dialogue. And indeed, Arii'nok's story was a short and sad one.

\- FanficsOP: Was it the Summary? I'm still trying to figure that out. But I'm glad you like it all the same. Hopefully those doubts shall remain put to rest.

*End of Review Response

The memories have ended, and to the real world we commence, but what is waiting on the other side of the fence? After all, there are still a few more chapters. Find out next time, on Falling Apart - Chapter 19 :D


	20. Chapter 19

Chapter 19:

* * *

 **A/N:** Alrighty then, we're making good progress on this lovely project. And we are almost done. My excitement is literally through the roof.

Week twenty-one has passed, and the weather has improved. Gotta say, it's been really nice.

Got my stuff done early this week, so I decided to get this out earlier (even if it is only by one day). Enjoy!

We're at eighty-six Reviews (oooh, got seven this week!), sixty-eight Favorites, seventy-seven Followers, and over thirteen-thousand one-hundred views. (P.S. I use this particular note as a kind of mile stone for myself). This may be just me, but I'm curious what will happen when I finish this story and leave it for a couple years. God willing we'll have another three or four full novel stories out by then.

R&R, post your QCC, I'll do my best to accommodate any responses you might have for me

Disclaimer: I'm running out of good disclaimer feed. You know what goes here, and what I don't own, because obviously, it hasn't been made into a movie

Without further adieu. *Que the dimming of the lights*

* * *

Falling Apart:

Chapter 19-

There was a sensation, like floating in the depths; like one might feel in the ocean or in the vacuum of space, it didn't matter. Formless, weightless, anchored to nothing. Once the mindscape had vanished, there was just… nothing. No sound, no sight, no feeling. Like a pleasant dark.

And then it started, the sensation of rushing upward, as if being pulled from the void's embrace toward the surface, toward gravity, toward light.

A startled gasp escaped Raven's lips as her eyes shot open, like the ends of a night terror had finally awoken her. But there was no terror. It had been a dream. A tragic, but sweet dream none-the-less. But it was no less real than the pounding she felt in her chest, or the massive migraine she now had.

The overhead lights were off, the main source of illumination coming from the monitor as it beeped steadily. And yet, her eyes adjusted quickly as she glanced through her peripheral vision at the outlines of the Med-Bay. Her ears perked slightly, a pulsing in her drums that seemed to muffle sound, like her ears had been popped.

Absently, she realized she was still floating from her Trance, her back to the bed. She began to lower, preparing to sit up the moment she touched down. That is, she thought she was prepared.

She landed on something soft and misshapen, like landing on a moss-covered log. Except that logs didn't raise and lower every time they snored, or suddenly turn over while their lips smacked.

While Raven would have considered herself fortunate enough to drop to the ground right then and there, there was no such luck. Before she could shift over and off the bed from the sudden turn, two arms wrapped around her, pressing a solid warmth against her back as she was held onto the bed, barely suspended over the floor.

"Garfield, let go. I'm not a body pillow," she growled through gritted teeth, recognizing the gloves and sleeves that were holding her around the waist. The hands didn't relinquish, the sounds of snoring only continuing. A head nestled into the back of her neck, rubbing a cheek gently against her upper back as if trying to get comfortable.

It was strange. His heartbeat was still incredibly fast, beating into her back, and her heartbeat had no trouble matching its tempo, responding in kind as it beat back. His arms didn't squeeze or constrict her but seemed secured to prevent her from falling. The emotions she felt rolling into her were tranquil and peaceful; content.

The physical contact sent virtual spasms up her spine, the arches of her back feeling like rods. One might attribute it to the fact that she had spent the last couple hours, give or take, snugly merged to the changeling, and she had hit an all-time high to her tolerance limit.

Then again, a part of her silently enjoyed that she was held, that he wasn't letting her fall. It made her feel... safe. Like she wasn't alone. Just thinking of that feeling brought a smile to her face. A part of her was thankful that he wasn't awake to see her face. The last thing she needed was his emotions to explode in overpowering radiance because he had gotten her to smile again. In fact, it was just better that he was asleep in general. If he woke up, she might have to bludgeon the memory out of him before her embarrassment caught up with her.

But still, it was... nice.

Something warm and wet dripped onto the back of her neck, a small trickle beginning from one side, and _slowly_ trailing with gravity to the other.

'Nope,' she thought, phasing through the changeling's arms and out into open air. Turning to stand on solid ground again, she looked down at Beast Boy. Despite the dumb open-mouthed smile on his face and his arms now wrapping around themselves, a trail of drool had made its way down his cheek and onto the hospice pillow, a soaking pool of it wringing up as he adjusted his head.

"You're disgusting, you know that?" Despite her misgivings, she allowed a small smile onto her face. She quickly used the edge of her cloak to wipe away any access drool from the back of her neck. It was in that moment, she had a little more time to think.

She was awake now. The Med-Bay was vacant, and devoid of any of her spell components for the Symbiotic Healing Trance, undoubtedly consumed once the spell had been fully cast. But most importantly, she felt drained. It may have been the Healing Trance, or the spell, or the very nature of Beast Boy's affliction, but it had consumed more of her magic energy than she had anticipated.

'I need to meditate,' she thought for the how-manyenth time that day, but this time, it was to address a more pressing issue than her power. She gave her friend another soft glance before exiting the Med-Bay. 'Maybe I should grab some tea.' She perished the thought when she remembered that Beast Boy and her were supposed to have coffee when he woke up. No, tea could wait.

She made her way silently down the hall, the Tower coming back to life as the lights flicked on automatically from the motion sensors. It was a sure sign that the others were either out, or asleep; preferably the latter. 'Out' meant that there had most likely been an alert, and they were two Titans down.

She stepped quietly into the Commons, greeted by the hissing door and the wide-open view of the bay. The sun was low, perhaps early- to mid- evening. The clock on the stove and microwave said about five. So yeah, chances were that her friends were out on an alert. She was half-tempted to join them, but the hollow feeling she had just below her gut told her that it would be foolish to assist with her power so low. Besides, someone had to babysit Beast Boy until he woke up.

It was terribly funny. The Tower still hadn't changed, not that much time had passed since that morning, despite feeling like an eternity had passed by. The lock-down doors were still shuttered over the windows she had destroyed, glass still dotted the floors. It was a strangely welcoming sight, if not a little dark. Outside, the storm still rumbled, rain pattering gently against the windows, adding an ambiance to the world that was incredibly refreshing.

She chose her usual spot in front of the window, half-consciously entering the lotus position without touching the ground as she began floating. Her index fingers met their thumbs, making the Root Chakra sign as each hand rested on her knees; and gently, she closed her eyes.

" _Azarath Metrion Zinthos_ ," she chanted aloud, repeating it until the world drowned out around her. " _Azarath Metrion Zinthos_."

She had affairs to attend to. Places to be. But all of that was allowed to fade away, if only for a moment. The pulsing in her head did little to disrupt her focus, but it needed to be dealt with at the source. And all at once, her eyes open, still hovering in a much brighter, sunlit Tower. She touched down in the exact same spot she was currently meditating from outside her mind.

"So how's Sleeping Ugly?" Rude commented from the kitchen, one hand on her hip and her foot tapping, her posture suggesting she had been waiting rather patiently... well, patiently for Rude. A cup of tea rested in her hand as she took a gentle sip.

"Getting his Beauty sleep," Raven commented back, Rude smirking at their attempts at humor. "How's Timid?"

"She's taking some 'alone time'," Envy stated as she stepped into view through the Common's door, her near permanent scowl following her as she jumped over the couch back to take a seat. "That's no fair. Why does she get alone time?"

"She's taking it easy after we almost shnogged BB," Brave stated as she dropped down from the ceiling, smirking to herself as Raven's face heated up. "Half an inch, Rae. That's all. Half. An. Inch."

Raven felt her fists clench up, the red rising in her face turning from embarrassment to anger as veins began to pop in her forehead. "Sooo," she drawled out, a slight hint of sadism to her voice, "where is Hope? Since she's the one who started this mess."

"Present!" Hope appeared as if out of thin air, her blue cloak billowing slightly as she rested an arm on Raven's shoulder nonchalantly. "I'm being summoned?"

"'Kiss the girl'? Of all the things you could have thought." Raven stated, her features calming considerably, contrary to her seething mind. It left her to wonder just what Rage was doing at that moment, considering she wasn't present to strangle Hope for her. "I don't need the emotional turmoil of you getting Happy and Passion to go along with your fantasies. And I especially don't need those fantasies directed at Beast Boy."

"I _am_ your hope," Hope stated simply. "What were you expecting? Ever since dear ol' dad was sent hightailing to lick his wounds, I formed inside our beautiful mind to make up for lost time. You said yourself that Azar wasn't always right about containing our emotions."

"Just because I can plan and dream of years beyond my 'sweet' sixteen now, including more personal relationships, doesn't mean you latch on to the nearest available person while riling up the other emotions," Raven chastised. "I'm just glad Garfield couldn't hear you."

"Well someone is pretty comfortable calling a certain 'someone' by their given name." Hope danced away as Raven attempted to snag her by the wrist, chuckling to herself as she became the target of a glare. "Oh, lighten up. Besides, I already called dibs on him, so Happy and Passion don't get him."

"Dibs?"

Hope sighed, hanging her head in disappointment in her much more wholesome self. "Yeah, dibs. You two exchanged hopes to help each other before anyone else got the chance. That means I get dibs on Greeny."

"He's not a toy," Raven snapped, blushing as soon as a knowing smile emerged on Hope's face.

"Do you know what realm this is?" Hope asked, gesturing around the mindscape of the Tower. "This is my realm. Why? Because the extent of our hopes and dreams don't go any farther than this Tower. We could dream impossible dreams, hope illustrious hopes now that dear ol' dad is out of our noggin'. But no. This is it. So pardon me if the proximity of those hopes and dreams only has _one_ available male to get kissed by.

"By the way, that's one of your hopes too: getting kissed. No tall, dark, and handsome knight on a steed from one of your cheesy two-penny romance novels. Just a green-skinned vegan with issues… lots of issues. But still, you have to admit, that smile of his is cute."

Raven couldn't argue with that. Sometimes she forgot that her emotions were practically their own persons; albeit, extensions of herself. It was hard to wrap her head around sometimes though when what she thought and they thought didn't line up. "I'm not kissing Ga- Beast Boy," she corrected, glowering as Hope gave her another smirk. "We're friends. We're good friends. He's supported me, and I'll support him. There's nothing else to glean from that."

Hope leaned in, a kind smile on her face. "And that's fine. Be friends. There isn't a part of us that wouldn't move heaven and earth for him. He just saw the worst in us, and he comforted us when he saw it. Needless to say, we all like him. Maybe not all of us like him like _that_ , but he's a keeper, friend or otherwise. So no matter what _you_ think, we _are_ gonna keep him."

Raven sighed, part of her agreeing with Hope, but another part denying it. That was all she could allow was a friendship. It didn't matter that it was the changeling. There was no one she could allow so close as to give her heart away. She had already tried that once, and it had been a disaster. It was probably surprising that her infatuation with Malchior hadn't turned up as one of her unwilling memories, but she wasn't complaining that it hadn't.

"Just don't go putting our hopes and dreams onto him," Raven stated, a mild dejection to her voice. "We can like him as a person, we can like him as a friend, but nothing more. We saw his memories to heal him emotionally as I healed him physically. He just happened to see my memories. There's no need to attach further meaning onto it."

"I don't know," Rude interrupted, taking another sip of her tea. "He did invite us to have coffee with him, and you accepted. Kind of hard _not_ to put any meaning into that."

"And you were super defensive of him," Envy added, propping her feet up on the coffee table. "Like, tear Robin a new one, defensive."

"This is uncharted territory!" Brave hooted, jumping up to seat herself on the counter, her forest green cloak acting as a cushion. "We've never actually hung out with B before, so this is still exciting. Even if you think we're all reading too much into it Rae, you can't deny that the relationship has deepened significantly."

That she could not. They were closer now, but, just how close was too close. Who else had seen her so emotional? So weak? Azar on occasion. Arella perhaps. But she was never treated with the same gentleness and understanding that Beast Boy provided. He didn't care that she was half-demon, or emotionally stunted, or... anything really. He just saw _her_ ; wanted to know _her_. Brave was right. This was uncharted territory. And why did Garfield have to be the test subject for that? One of the few relationships she couldn't afford to let things go awry.

Hope placed a hand on Raven's shoulder. "For what it's worth, take it down a few notches, and work up to a better relationship with him. Explore the possibility that you don't utterly despise his cheery, loud, and obnoxious personality. Ignore the fact that you know the mask he wears isn't his actual face. Let him get comfortable around us so that when the time comes, he can drop his mask on his own.

"He'll be kind enough to set things at our pace, so why not take the time to grow together. The two most emotionally constipated Titans there are. Well... besides Robin."

Raven found herself smiling, even if it was weak, and was more thoughtful than genuine.

"But like _I_ said, 'I called dibs'," Hope stated firmly in defiance, meeting Raven's eyes like a minor declaration. "When you figure that out, let me know."

Hope stretched slightly, a small groan of pleasure escaping her lips as she began walking away. "Now if ya'll don't mind, leave. Just because some of you wanted some drama, doesn't mean I invited you here."

Raven was suddenly standing in between her emotional realms, surrounded by black night, red stars, and craggy paths amidst oblivion. The four-eyed ravens of her barriers were all around, some perched and some flying, a few even _Cawing_ a greeting. Brave, Envy, and Rude were displaced with her, their faces less surprised than irritated.

"She could have asked us to leave," Rude deadpanned, looking at the hand that had once held her tea with contempt. "Cheery bitch."

Brave just shrugged. "We showed up without permission. She can kick us out if she wants."

"Why does she get dibs on B?" Envy growled, earning her incredulous looks from those present. It was if the entire point had been lost.

 _ **(Scene Break)**_

 _Meanwhile, somewhere in the city…_

Cyborg couldn't get rid of the beeping in his head. The screen in his red left eye wouldn't stop telling him what he already knew. Like an annoying alarm in a car that reminded one that their fuel was low and the engine would soon quit quite suddenly if it wasn't topped off soon; Cyborg's systems were consuming more energy telling him that he needed his battery recharged than his sonic cannon was.

They had underestimated the duo, the combination of Atlas and Overload had proven far more formidable than previously anticipated. Overload's weakness to water was covered by the metallic shell provided by Atlas even as the combined torrent of thundercloud rain and broken fire hydrants continued to douse them, and Atlas's requirement for constant maintenance and power was compensated by the electrical villain. Whenever they seemed to make headway, Overload would manipulate any nearby electrical equipment and reconstitute the parts to Atlas before reabsorbing the utilized power from a nearby power-line.

It was, in essence, a literal pain in the ass that every one of the present Titans could attest to.

Robin should have been taking it easy, especially after the damage he took from Adonis, but their leader had yet to complain, Raven's healing having worked wonders. If anything, he was the embodiment of agility, having yet to be struck by any of the villains' attacks, yet he was clearly frustrated when his own attacks had no effect. No freeze disc, smoke bomb, or birdarang was making his case; never mind the gadgets that would require him to get into close quarters… and within arm's reach of an electrified hand. That and none of his toys were especially insulated, so a melee strike had more chance to electrocute him than it had effect on the villain, especially now that his uniform was dampened.

Starfire had managed to avoid any large-scale attacks, but even the Tamaranian had taken a solid shock… or six. Her resilient nature had prompted her to take a few hits for her friends. But it only seemed to add fuel to the fire. Two of her friends were unable to fight, and with every strike that threatened to bench another one, her Fury grew.

Cyborg fared the worst. He had taken a couple hits, but what was worse was when the Overload half of the combined villains grabbing him for some 'extra juice'. Even with the 'Slips' he had called, they were barely putting a dent in Atlas… and even that was quickly being mended up.

One hand gripping a double-edged claymore built from the same blue circuitry as him and his baby, Cyborg roared, jumping with an overhead swing that made solid contact, but did nothing, the same as many of the other expended and broken weapons that laid useless on the ground. It caught a block from Atlas's arm, and the villain retaliated with a smashing punch to Cyborg's chest, only to have his back struck with a starbolt and an explosive disk in retribution.

Cyborg growled as he hydroplaned across the wet pavement, using his weapon as a crutch to pry himself to his feet. "Hell… nah," he groaned, taking a couple deep breaths as he prepared for another charge. "I'm sick of all these motha' cryin' villains, knocking my motha' cryin' block, all over the motha' cryin' street!"

"Censoring for someone?" Robin asked stoically, doing a back-flip as he threw a fistful of discs at the villains, his satisfaction hidden behind caution as Atlas's leg became trapped in ice, latching onto the wet ground as a perfect makeshift anchor.

"Like any of us drop F-bomb's casually," Cyborg snapped, swiftly aiming for the frozen appendage. The satisfying sound of shattering rang lovingly through his ears, only for Overload to cackle from his position in Atlas's chest.

"Foolish humans. We are superior," the red computer chip buzzed with excitement. Electricity shot from the robotic entity as he took a knee on his damaged leg, grasping any electrical device it could obtain before calling it back, assimilating it into their form. Even the sub-zero temperatures of Robin's discs did little to stop the leg from reforming. "What can you do to stop us this time?"

Starfire took position behind Cyborg, hovering furiously. "Friends, I am… put out. I do not like it when villains continue to do the healing when we should have already been the victorious. Clearly their strategy has done the improving these past solar cycles."

"Join the club Star," Cyborg stated, twisting around from his charge to land another solid strike on Atlas's back. No damage. "At this rate, I might even order us t-shirts."

"What will gathering under the building of tingly beverages and flashing lights do to stop him?" she demanded indifferently, yelling in frustration as she conjoined her hands, a solid beam of green energy smashing into the Atlas. "And what does that have to do with the shirts of T?!" He lost half a step, but quickly threw out a shot of electricity that she quickly dodged.

"Come now my rival," Atlas taunted, turning to glance at Cyborg as he was effortlessly deflected again. "What happened to that luster you had when we first fought one-on-one? You should know by now, no one defeats Atlas." His hand outstretched, a concussive blast slamming into the weapon Cyborg swiftly brought to parry. The weapon had reached the limit of its durability, pieces of it beginning to crumble off.

"And Overload," the AI added irritably, electrical arcs forming on their body, creating a small electrical field in the puddles around them.

Cyborg dropped the damaged claymore, his hands cast out as another code was transmitted to his summoned 'Slip'. Two proto-cannons shot out from the pod-like ship, encompassing his hands as wires snaked their way to outlets on his back. Thankfully, he had had the foresight to make sure his tech was untouchable and unusable by any villains they came across, most notably that circuit-rat, Gizmo, but that included Overload as well. It was too bad that hindsight was telling him that he should have created some sort of lightning rod; maybe an energy adapter to keep his power up when he got shocked by the electric villain. There were too many villains to prepare for, and not enough funds for all of his side-projects. That, and the villains kept upgrading. The data he had to work with was two years too old, and it didn't include when villains wombo-comboed into fused forms.

At that thought, Cyborg's glow grew a little dimmer as he shot a handful of blasts, again with little to no effect on the villains. Robin threw another smoke bomb to screen another charged beam from Starfire. It was becoming more and more apparent that they were outmatched.

"Cyborg," Robin called, noting that the half-robot was listening. "It might be time to call in the cavalry. We've tried to minimize damage to the city, but at this rate…." He cartwheeled to the side, sending out a rapid fire of explosive discs. "…We might not have a city to save if-" The rest was left unsaid, as a he rappelled out of the way of a bolt, countering with birdarang aimed directly at the computer chip. It reflected harmlessly a mere inch from him, redirected by some sort of electro-magnetic field.

"Yeah, but are all the people evacuated?" he asked, concentrating his blasts on a single spot, hoping to punch through. "I don't want some 'brave' idiot getting caught in the crossfire. He might not make the news in the way he was hopin'."

"If they have not done the leaving, then they are fools," Starfire roared, her fist coming down with a solid _CLUNK!_ that dented the armor on Atlas's head, but quickly popped back into place.

"Which one are you gonna use Cy?" Robin asked, throwing another precisely aimed freeze disc that he remotely detonated just before it could be deflected by the field, a satisfying yell from Overload letting him know that he had stalled for a little time as the chip had become encrusted with ice.

Cyborg had a few sets of massive firepower. Stuff he reserved for alien invasions, massive genocidal groups and cults, or someone mishandling his friends (*cough, cough* "Adonis" *cough*). But now that Robin was asking, he had one in mind, not that he had an alternative. He was too drained on power, and his systems wouldn't stop reminding him.

"Star, I wouldn't mind a recharge!" the half-robot yelled, his weapon of choice being called as he shed off his cannons. He jumped over the electrified puddle, vaulted Atlas's fist, coming in quickly with a knee to his chin before kicking off backwards.

Starfire's rage turned to worry in an instant. "Friend, that has not done enough of the testing. Surely there is something better?" She continued her attempts at onslaught, her vigor renewed in the wake of Cyborg's proposal, driven by worry.

"I don't like it either Star," Robin interjected, reaching for his staff before remembering that he couldn't use his melee weapons. Unlike Cyborg's sword, his gadgets conducted electricity… a little too well. "But what choice do we have." He substituted quickly for a lovely set of birdarangs that were more to annoy the villains than harm them at that point.

Cyborg stepped away from another punch, an alert suddenly popping up in his console. "God damn!" he growled, his temporary moment of distraction allowing Atlas to smash into his abdomen. His parts were meeting concrete once more, barely able to push him up as he re-evaluated the situation. "Guys, we've got a sensor trip. Someone got into the Tower. And by the looks of it, they were able to bypass most of my security before it caught them snooping."

"Might it possibly be our friends?"

"Nope," Cy stated, his arms just about quitting as he groaned to join the fray. "Someone is intentionally hacking into the Tower, which means someone doesn't want to ring the doorbell."

Thankfully, he didn't need to worry much longer. The sweet sound of his called 'Slip's' jet engines swooped down, landing with enough force to obliterate the empty car that had unfortunately taken residence under its trajectory. The pod hissed opened, prepared to accommodate to its programmed function.

"Then we'll have to finish this quickly," Robin growled, his quiet inventory telling him that he was just about out of everything feasible in this fight. As luck would have it, he still had enough to cause some ruckus, and even a couple ideas. "Starfire, charge him up. I'll keep Atlas and Overload distracted." As if to prove his point, he pulled out his retracted bo staff, throwing the makeshift stick straight and true at the frost chilled computer chip. An electric field shot out, attempting to dislodge the ice and deflect the staff, only for a flying kick from Robin to drive it through, his shoe soles acting as his insulation as the retracted staff struck into Overloads motherboard, the staff suddenly springing open and shoving Robin away, flipping to throw the last of his freeze discs right over the computer chip.

His foot felt a little tingly and his shoe now had a large melted hole in it that was allowing the rain puddles to soak his feet, but it was worth it. Overload was shrieking, whether from anger or from pain was anyone's guess. Atlas was in a state of panic at his partners outburst as he attempted to rip away the ice that was now over his entire chest. It had temporarily halted their electrical synergy.

Meanwhile, Starfire had flown to the pod, taking her position behind it as two slots opened at her proximity. Plugs and wires shot out, targeting Cyborgs back as panels opened up, receiving them with a mild hiss as if it had decompressed. "Now remember Star, easy does _IIIIT!_ " he shrieked.

Starfire had jammed her hands into the slots, finding the grips, and all at once releasing every conceivable raging thought into the machine. Green light poured from the slots, powering the pod as the energy began to build up and convert, shooting though the wires at tremendous speed until Cyborg's squeal of sudden discomfort was sounded as his battery began to absorb the radiant power.

"I am sorry," Star apologized between her angry tones, "but thee Atlas and Overload must do the going down so we may get home to our friends. Now!" Her eyes lit, encompassing in green light as her skin began to glow from tangerine to a brighter gold, soft particle light drawing into her pores until even her red hair seemed to be ignited in solar fire. Under the storm, she looked like a lighthouse beacon.

"Oh yeah!" Cyborg said, watching as his battery began to rapidly refill. "Now that's what I'm talking about!" His blue luster began to shine once more. "Nothing like a little power up to go a lo-… uh, Star, you can stop now."

He watched as his digital battery bar filled up completely, and then the percentile flash began as his battery went into overcharge. And it was overfilling quickly. He glanced back at her, only to regret it. Her fiery hair, her glowing eyes, and the complete visage of enragement on her face was… shall we say, instantly deleted from his memory drive moments later. 'No thanks. I choose to sleep at night.'

But the power didn't stop flowing, and the conversion of her energy into him was gradually beginning to change the color of his circuits as they turned from their electric blue to a starlit green.

'Six-hundred twenty-three percent,' his systems alerted. 'Immediate Expulsion Required. Overcharge Meltdown: Critical.'

"Rob! Get out of the way!" the tin-man yelled, both of his fists opening up hastily for his twin sonic cannons. A green crona built up from the barrel, the normal high-pitch of his signature weapon replaced with a deep drone.

'Kame-hame-haaaaaaaa!' he thought, knowing the B would have been the one to do it if he were present. And B would have loved the fact that it was green. "This is for BB, motha' f-"

His voice was thankfully drowned out by the _BOOM!_ of sound break and the rapid explosion of expanding air particles in the otherwise cold rain. A destructive beam of pure energy shot from both his cannons, together easily wide enough to take up a full lane of the road.

'Starfire and Cyborg Combo Attack: Super Sonic Nova Cannon Blast!' an announcer voice proclaimed in his head.

Cy didn't know why, but the videogamer in him rolled with his random thought as he starred through his attack. A combo counter appeared in his vision as he gritted his teeth, rapidly building.

'Dou- Tri- Quadr- Super Combo! Mega Combo! Blasts of Fury! Holy Sh- Holy Shi- Holy Shit! Comet Trail Combo! Shooting Star Combo! Meteor Storm COOOMBOOOO!'

His attack sputtered to a stop, his arms looking a couple sizes too small from the sheer force of his own attack, his armor having been blasted away. The cables detached from his back as he collapsed to his knees, the green hue fading back to blue as he let out an exasperated breath. But hey, since when was he going to get a two-hundred forty-seven unbroken combo in any game? Props for reality.

The air swished as it began to cool once more, a large gash of hissing molten pavement going straight down the street some distance before disappearing. He was glad he had aimed a few degrees higher, the beam fading over into the sky instead of jumping with the horizon through a few buildings and bridges in the way. Not that he hadn't hit a couple buildings, but he at least didn't hit their main support structures, keeping the damage to some top floors. With that thought, he was glad they had extended the evacuation to a twenty block radius. The city blocks were thankfully huge, and there was never any telling how wide-spread the collateral damage could be when fighting supervillains.

Atlas lay in the middle of the street, half sunk in the steaming melted asphalt, Overload groaning weakly on his chest.

"Friend, let us not do that again… for a long time," Starfire mumbled, floating lazily to him, a look of unfiltered exhaustion on her face. Her hair seemed to match her haggard appearance, a strange mixture between soaking straight and crispy curled randomly dotted across her head in a poof of lost fashion.

She took in his nearly destroyed arms and the street. "I am sorry, friend. I was too angry when you said there were people attacking our home. I thought it best to return to friends Beast Boy and Raven with the haste."

"No prob Star," he chuckled weakly, feeling like someone had fed him the Stank Ball. He was tired, he was wet, the weather was muggy, and he had forgotten to eat lunch. His right arm sparked and hissed angrily at its creator. Luckily, he had some spares at the Tower... if he could get to them before they went after the intruders.

Robin popped up from behind a car, the inquisitive look on his face reminding Cyborg humorously of a ground squirrel. But maybe that was just the solar energy getting to his brain. 'Like an egg in a microwave.'

"A little more heads up next time," Robin stated, more relieved than serious, walking over to them with a small tremble to his step. He collapsed next to Cyborg with a wet plop, sitting against his robotic leg. "I swear I saw my life flash before my eyes."

"Boyfriend Robin, I fear it was not your life, but friend Cyborg's attack that did the flashing," Star replied, beginning to straighten out her hair.

"Oh, it's just an expression Star," he stated, stumbling to his feet as he took in Cyborg's arms. "Cyborg, call the T-car. I'll drive."

"Rob. I hate to ask, but do we look like we're in any kind of shape to help B and Raven?" the half-robot asked tiredly, hating the idea of another fight, but knowing it was possibly unavoidable. Someone was hacking, or _had_ hacked, into the Tower. A fight was more than likely.

"Nope," their leader answered simply, walking over to Adonis and Overload. "But who else is going to help. Beast Boy might still be out, and Raven will be exhausted after healing him for so long."

'Or they're both still merged,' Cyborg thought with a deep dread, taking a deep breath before sending a signal to his baby.

"Hey Starfire," Robin said, ushering her over, "do you think you could separate them? You can rip them apart easily without getting…."

The Tamaranian was swift in approach, floating above the villains as she ripped out the red computer chip with no remorse as it shrieked. A few choice curses exited Overload weakly, and Atlas groaned in pain, sinking a little further into the asphalt.

"…shocked." Robin was the state of his own word, looking back at her in mild awe. "Remind me to let you open the pickle jars."

Her sweet smile was only augmented by the rain as the T-car pulled up, tires screeching as they slid to a halt. "Let us go. Our friends may need us." Absently she ripped a few lampposts out of the ground, wrapping them around Atlas after pulling him from the tar, finalizing his state of entrapment by smashing his robotic legs underneath her heel. Her sweet smile didn't cease the entire time, even as she climbed into the passenger seat of the car.

"Remember Rob, that's _your_ girlfriend," Cyborg stated, a strange shadow nestled over his head and eyes as he climbed into the back, opening the door electronically since his arms were not up to full function. Absently, he wished he had thought of a Slip for in-the-field repairs. Regardless, he activated the return code, and the pods rockets activated, shooting into the air on their way back to their launch pads at the Tower.

Robin stood shell-shocked for a moment, quickly snapping out of it as he picked up the dropped Overload from the ground, wrapping it up in his removed glove for some kind of insulated binding. 'Maybe I should get gloves that can actually handle his shocks through my weapons.' He noticed his retracted staff laying in the street, charred on one end from where it had struck the electrical villain. An idea struck his mind. 'Or maybe a new set of weapons.'

"Rob! Quit daydreamin'! Or do you like getting your head soaked?!" Cyborg shouted. "Trouble isn't going to disappear on its own. We have to get back to the Tower."

"Right." He ran swiftly to the car, saving his thoughts for later. 'One thing at a time. For now, our friends.'

* * *

 **A/N:** And the chapter concludes, prepare for the next.

Forever again, if there is anything that needs edited, or is connecting in a weird way for you guys, let me know and I'll try to clean up the text. I do accept grammar and spelling errors too (PM these if possible, and I'll add them to my next Hard Edit)

As always (and I'll just keep posting this because its true), keep posting your constructive criticisms, as they will help me know what to look for in my future writings, and for the days I decide to do a hard edit. I look forward to growing as a writer for you guys and myself.

My first indulgence was to skip over what was happening to the other Titans and just have them come back after a few other things concluded, but then I realized that I had a terrific opportunity to show how much the _other_ Titans had grown in the past two years. I think I touched on it with Starfire in their fight with Adonis (because creating energy armor is kick-ass), but I don't think the full extent of Cyborg's "Slips" could be realized in that fight, so I tried to expand upon it in this one. I overlooked Robin for the most part, but I did hint at some stuff in this chapter, so SPOILERS! if you know what I'm talking about.

As far as those of you who were biting your nails for some deeper BBRae... like I was gonna make it that easy on you guys.

Please indulge my curiosity, and let me know what parts you liked, what parts need work, and overall what you guys think about it so far :D

 _Tamaranian Translations (Original Translation)_ **:**

 _None this week!_

(Review Response disclaimer: I ramble sometimes. That's just me being excited. If I don't ramble, I'm still excited, just calm. Also, I have a "different" sense of humor. I swear it's not you, it's completely and utterly me.)

And now for the new _Reviews Responses_ :

\- Plutonimus: Hey Plutonimus, long time no read! Glad to hear it on the last chapter. And, Daaaamn! I thought I had some repressed rage issues toward the new show. But you practically took a scalpel and said, "Screw it with niceties. Just die!" I enjoyed that dissection better than Biology. And I can't say I disagree. Everything you've wrote is pretty spot on.

\- Ragnaroll: My dear loyal Ragnaroll, you will be pleased to know that I have never once forgotten the full extent of Beast Boy's abilities (he is my favorite Teen Titan after all) in the show or the comics, and it was one of the greater injustices to his character. As far as what you have laid out, have no fears. My entire writing style is based in extending and developing the abilities of all the main characters into their comic counterparts (without actually switching over to the comic universe). No one just suddenly gains tremendous power, but it still has to be cultivated, and unfortunately for the readers, I tend to cultivate slowly. It's my way of connecting the show and the comics, while adding my own fresh twist.

What's more, I will be delving into _my own_ theories about Beast Boy's abilities. Because let's face it, even the comics leave out the full potential of his capabilities based on their own assessment of what he can do. I can't write any more than that without breaking my own SPOILERS! rule. Just have faith in our dear local changeling, and my unwillingness to let that fail.

And no, the Beast (who started calling it that anyway?) is not the full extent of Beast Boy's capability :)

\- FanficsOP: Interesting is a good word. I'll leave it to you to decide if things remain that way ;)

\- FF8cerberus: I could have theoretically gone on for about another three chapters of just Beast Boy's memories alone, but I felt that would have taken away from the story, and making up more tragedy for Raven was just pushing it even further. I only wanted to include the memories I felt were of tremendous note to their current characters. I kept the Terra memory series canon so it wouldn't change. I wasn't out to alter the what the series put out, but merely explain it with my take on it (after rewatching the whole episode five or six times) and the effects that has had on both Raven and Beast Boy.

As for Raven's memory, I apologize for the randomness. Trying to peg down any solid lead on Raven is hard, and it was an extremely OC chapter. I'll try to make Raven easier to connect and bond with in my next Hard Edit. I appreciate your straight forwardness, and I hope you enjoyed this chapter.

\- JuniorVB: Thank you very much sir!

\- VIP (Guest): Yeah, I wasn't thrilled when I hit that part of Beast Boy's past either. As far as Register, villain's are villain's, no matter what lead them to that path. And a lot of comic villain's do things in the name of science. There is unfortunately a near infinite number ways to become the bad guy.

\- wigglewolf27: Unfortunately, as far as the TV series is concerned, I think the creators are banking on the fact that most of us will watch it strictly out of a sense of duty. It's a ploy that I'm not sure I'm ready to fall for, no matter how dutiful I feel. I'm crying my bitter tears in hopes that it actually isn't as bad as it looked. As far as the memory of Terra, I never brought myself to actually despise her, but the comics portrayed her very differently, so I was a little lost. But my adult perspective gave me a lot of insight into her character, so I hope that echoed well into how the story played out.

I was actually almost done with this chapter when I read your review, so I found it incredibly humorous when you asked me about what the other Titan's were doing. Hopefully, this was worth the wait. And no problems on a late review, sleep is an important and beautiful thing, especially since moving drains both mental and physical stamina. As long as you're settling in well, it's all good.

P.S. Twinkies. You can't go wrong with a hand-full of "Heart Attacks in a Roll"... I just realized the irony of that statement.

*End of Review Response

Oh my, villains defeated with the possibility of more. And oh, how shall this story meet it's end? The suspense, oh! the drama! So, yeah. Stay tuned for Falling Apart - Chapter 20 :D


	21. Chapter 20

Chapter 20:

* * *

 **A/N:** The continued passing of time as rendered another chapter. Enjoy!

Week twenty-two is here! And I gotta say, it wasn't so bad. The weather was decent, the weekend was slow, and this couch is splendidly soft. Just need to... take... a... nap... *snore*

I didn't think I would get this out in time, so I doubled down and forwent my video games. And now I'm done, so I'll put this out one day early again.

We're at eighty-nine Reviews (Thanks again guys!), seventy-one Favorites, eighty-one Followers, and almost fourteen-thousand views. (P.S. I use this particular note as a kind of mile stone for myself). Oh, this is exciting. Were almost done. Thank you old friends, and new. A couple more taps of the hammer, and this nail will be driven in. But there still a lot of work to do after it's done.

Read and Review, post your Questions, Comments, and Concerns; I'll do my best to accommodate any responses you might have for me

Disclaimer: Are we authors required to put a disclaimer at the beginning of every chapter? I would think that we post it once, and the whole world gets that the show isn't ours. *shrugs* But yeah- I don't own Teen Titans, but on the bright side is, neither does Disney... or does it?

Without further adieu. *Que the dimming of the lights*

* * *

Falling Apart:

Chapter 20-

Raven wasn't sure what set it off.

A few moments ago, she had exited her mind, pondering Hope's words with more befuddlement than she would like to admit. Since then, she had continued to levitate meditatively, her empathy gently expanded, keeping tabs on the changeling, waiting for the moment he woke up.

Then it occurred. Some strange bristle along the back of her neck, a twist in her gut. An odd reoccurring sensation that something was wrong. She detected nothing. And yet, she couldn't shake the invasive feeling of intuition that forced her from meditation.

'Calm down Raven,' she thought, taking deep breaths as she tried to steady her unease. 'There's nothing to worry about.' But she couldn't pinpoint the cause, and it was beginning to irritate her.

The doors hissed open, Raven's ear perking slightly. She hid a small smile behind her impartial gaze, a feeling of relief entering her. "I thought you wouldn't be up for a couple more hours, given how much you normally sleep."

No response. She frowned. That was unusual. Normally the changeling would yawn exaggeratedly, followed by a friendly greeting and an ill-conceived comeback that made one question either his state of wakefulness or his intelligence in general, or both. But now, it was just… quiet.

She turned her head as she homed in empathetically, and she observed. It was Beast Boy for sure. His shoulder was leaning against the door jam, his head downcast, but it was strange. She could sense that he was still asleep, but even asleep Raven had always felt something from the changeling. Now he just felt mute.

"Garfield? Are you ok-?"

"Sic 'er, ya snot!"

For a moment, she saw Beast Boy's eyes. Blank and dazed, and emphasized by a pathetic moan escaping lips as an impossible cord of drool swung from the crease of his mouth. Then he attacked.

He jumped down the stairs, transforming into a hawk as he shot forward. Raven dove and rolled as he struck, a velociraptor's toe claws slashing where she had been, and a snap from its jaws falling just short of her cloak. He spun, his tail hitting her square in the stomach before she could dodge again. Rendered prone, she attempted to jump to her feet, only for his foot to hold her down, claws digging into her back. The reptilian head bent down, a hazed slit-eye reflecting her image as it rasped from a widening toothy maw.

"Down lad. Don't 'arm the lovely girl."

Raven knew that voice anywhere, and she wasn't disappointed as she glanced up. Bright red hair, blue shades, and a slim form hugged in a Union Jack jacket. A red gem-headed cane rested easy with both hands clasped over it, their owner's smile as malicious as it was crooked.

"Mod," Raven hissed, attempting to get up, only to be forced back down by Beast Boy's foot. "I see this idiot has been taking stupid lessons from you again."

"Now now," the Brit chided, holding his position, "no need to be cheeky, me lovely. Wasn't too hard with 'im all knackered. A little subliminal persuasion with a few programmed triggers, and 'e was reportin' for duty. Can't be a crackin' hypnotist if all I use is my screens."

"So, what?" she asked, struggling again, glancing up at the person she had just admitted to being her 'best friend'. He was lucky she wasn't throwing him out the window again… because chances were that he wasn't going to pull out of his fall all hypnotized as he was. "You break in here, and the first thing you do is hypnotize him? Typical." She frowned. Her empathy was working. She could sense Beast Boy, but she couldn't sense Mod… at all. There was no one there? He could be a hologram.

"Baffled yet?" Mod asked tauntingly, as if catching some of her thought process. "I hope you don't mind, but I was only invited, I'm not our host this fine evening."

As light particles ceased to bend, Raven was greeted with one of the most unlikely villainous team ups she had ever seen as they stepped into the room. "Mod, Cinderblock, _and_ Psimon?" That explained why her empathy wasn't effective, why she hadn't sensed them. Psimon was one of the few psychics alive that Raven knew could face her powers head on, and if his hands wrapped around his glowing brain-in-a-jar like head was any indication, he was blocking her ability to sense them, as well as the reason they had been invisible. Bending light wasn't the hardest thing to do for a psychic of his caliber.

"You forgot me, you crud munchin' pit sniffer! Until I unfreeze the rest of the H.I.V.E. Five, I'm with these guys! And don't you forget it!"

"And Gizmo?" Raven felt more confused now as she glanced down at the short kid-genius, his goggles covering up half his face while his cocky grin covered the other half. 'And _that_ explains how they got past the security,' she thought simply. "So what brought this little band of misfits together?"

"I came looking for that snot pickin' bucket-a-bolts that calls this pig-sty secure! I could sleep-hacked my way in here!" Gizmo snapped, walking down the stairs as he glanced around expectantly. "So, where is he?"

"I do not sense anyone else," Psimon groaned authoritatively, the glow fading from his head as he lowered his hands. "It was just these two."

Raven held back a gasp as her empathy began picking them up, their combined emotions an amalgam of anger, irritation, and disappointment. Especially from Gizmo. Luckily, her mental barriers were still effective, so she dutifully erected them.

"Well crud!" the boy cursed, sitting down in the middle of the floor to pout, his arms crossing. "This was stupid. I wanted a rematch after the Brotherhood got its butt kicked!"

"You mean the Brotherhood you joined," Raven stated with a raised eyebrow.

Cinderblock smirked, but remained silent, as per the usual. However, he moved past Psimon, his gargantuan footsteps surprisingly muffled as he came to stand over Raven and Beast Boy. The golem bent down, poking an otherwise stoic changeling in the face. When no response was gleaned, he kept poking like a curious child.

"So I take it you didn't come for a social visit," Raven inquired, gently shielding her surface thoughts in case Psimon was probing, trying to keep them talking as long as possible. At least, those who could talk. She needed to wait for the others to get back. If she attacked then and there, she had little doubt she could easily be overpowered; Psimon alone would consume all her focus. If she tried to escape, that left Beast Boy with them. She didn't know what would happen given that Mod never felt compelled to reveal this side of his hypnotic skills before, but if she took Beast Boy with her… well he was still a hypnotized attack-dino….

…That had a trail of drool that was currently threatening to land on Raven's hooded head. Did dinosaurs even drool?

Mod just smiled, twirling his cane as he walked around the Common's like he owned the place. "Well, I was gonna knick a bit of dear Robbie's youth again, but I'm all topped off at the moment. Curtesy of your green friend. In fact, stored a couple extra decades off 'im." He tapped the gem in his cane pointedly.

Raven glanced up at the hollow-eyed changeling, even more confused. She had seen his human form, even if only for a moment. "That's not possible. He's still-"

"Young?" Mod interjected, his face practically in hers, propped up on his elbow as he gave a sideways glance at her. "Gave me a start too. Drained enough to make an ol' sod into a handsome Moddie again. Low and behold, not a gray hair on 'im. I was so impressed, I've decided to keep 'im around a bit longer. See how long it lasts, maybe sell a few years to some desperately old villains here and there. Until I gotta put 'im down, he'll make a lovely cash pet."

At calling Beast Boy a pet, and worse, talking about 'putting him down', Raven reacted. A wad of spit found its way "mysteriously" onto Mod's face. It was almost worth it to see him recoil with a yell.

"He's not your pet," she hissed, pushing up harder even as the green dinosaur pushed her back down to the floor, an irritated huff escaping her lips. "And you can take your youth and SHOVE IT!"

Cinderblock gave her half a glance before continuing to poke at Beast Boy. Gizmo chuckled at Mod's reaction before standing up and running over to the kitchen, commencing his raiding of their fridge. And Psimon looked… strangely preoccupied glancing out the windows over the Jump City Bay.

"Well now," Mod growled, wiping the spit off his face, "it looks like someone's manners have gone to rubbish. Any chance I can do some damage?" His cane-head propped up her chin. "A little gesture to show some respect for 'er elders."

"That's enough!" Psimon commanded, his voice almost as gravelly as Raven's, as if he didn't exercise his vocal cords enough. "We only need one to do the baiting, but if we harm one unnecessarily, there's no telling what the reactions will be. A simple kill will do."

Raven swore she imagined it, but Beast Boy seemed to quiver slightly at Mod's question. Azar, she hoped it wasn't all in her head. The last thing she needed was some false hope.

"Why bother waiting around?!" Gizmo shouted from the fridge. "They don't even have anything good in the fr-Ahhhh!" The sound of the fridge door slamming drew everyone's attention. Gizmo's pack had activated, his mechanical insectoid legs pressing him against the door as a terrified look crossed his face. "What do you guys keep as a pet in there?! It was terrible. All blue and fuzzy. It didn't even show up until I moved some weird looking shrimp-jello. What was that thing?!"

'Seriously,' Raven groaned. 'Please tell me Starfire didn't keep it. Isn't having Silkie enough?' A sudden bout of worry crossed her mind as she remembered the Tamaranian's _Bumgorf_. 'Oh Azar. Please tell me Silkie is somewhere safe. If Starfire gets back and he's not-' A thought better left unfinished.

"Oh, that's our ever-present guardian of the fridge," Raven deflected sarcastically, watching humorously as the look on Gizmo's face became even more terrified, like he'd seen her lift her hood to reveal the horrors beneath it. "Starfire made it while cooking."

"How did that ditzy redhead cook up _that_?" Gizmo cried, suddenly pulling out a large bolt-lock and securing the door fast. They all watched as the sounds of whizzing drills and cross-treading bolts could be heard plain as day. "Never again," he sighed as he rested a large drill over his shoulder.

A deep rumble grinded from Cinderblock's mouth, like he was chuckling at the pint-sized villain.

"Oh shut up you petrified piece of crud!" Gizmo snapped, a vein popping in his forehead.

"Enough," Psimon commanded softly, but his voice spoke volumes as he became the center of attention. It was clear he was the leader of this merry little band, despite Mod's primary introduction. "Cinderblock, take the girl. She will be enough to draw out the others. Mister Richards, dispose of the boy. He will not be needed."

"It's Mod," Mod stated simply. "And why do I have to off the little bugger? I 'ave 'im in a deep trance, so 'e won't cause trouble. Besides, 'e's the only one I've had repeated success 'ypnotizing. Just imagine all the crimes we could commit usin' 'im. Them shapeshiftin' abilities would come in mighty handy."

Raven couldn't believe what she was hearing. How close that hit to home. The thought of Garfield forced to commit crimes against his will again set her teeth grinding. Bob and Arnold hadn't been tangible… reachable. These guys were. These guys were so-

'DEAD!' a chorus of emotions burned through her. And for a moment that was a fine thought… _if_ it had been confined to her mind.

A burst of black energy threw the changeling off her, pushed Cinderblock back, and blew away Mad Mod. Her eyes burned white hot as she lost control, her power barely being guided toward the object of her wrath as the rest of the Common's windows shattered under her might. Her top set of eyes shot open, glowering as she began to float to her feet. With a roar, black clawed hands shot out of her arms as a shadowy aura enveloped her like blackened smoke.

The only target in mind was Mod. He hypnotized Garfield. He threatened to return Beast Boy to that dark hellhole in a basement. If he woke up at all, what would cross his mind? What new guilts would he feel because he had been ordered to carry them out? Raven didn't know why, but she couldn't allow that. She wouldn't.

Her claws hit a magenta field of psychic energy, smashing into it and recklessly attempting to force their way through. Her acute vision only allowed for one thing: Mod's demise. A chair flew by here, a glass there, what might have been a videogame controller too. She was eye of a hurricane that allowed for no other thoughts and no one to reach her. All of her wanted it; wanted to protect her friend from that fate, and she'd be damned if such a weak human would stand in her way.

Her efforts redoubled, her energy began spinning into a drill-like construct as it pressed fervently into the energy wall. One crack. A chain of cracks. The whole wall shattered as her power rushed forward to finish him off.

"Protect me already ya snot!" Mod cried out, his hands flying protectively over his face.

She stopped just in time. It had been almost too fast to see, but a human Beast Boy had moved, standing right between her wrath, and the object of said wrath. And now a spinning construct of black energy raged just mere inches from his chest.

"Move Beast Boy!" she snapped, something shattering as it violently hit a wall. He didn't move, he just stood there in a numb haze, unyielding to her demanded. Why wouldn't he move? Didn't he realize she was trying to save him? "Please, just move!"

She didn't notice the creature until it's fist was baring down on her. Startled, she had no time to block Cinderblock as his hand opened, smashing her back first into the ground, pinning her as his stone fingers cringed into the floor around her. Her body jarred by the pain, her power ceased, everything dropping to the floor with _Crash!_ es, _Smash!_ es, and _Snap!_ s as centripetal force threw everything outward and away in a circular motion; if it hadn't already crashed into the hulking golem.

"Perhaps, keeping her wouldn't be the best of strategies," Psimon revised, glaring at Raven angrily, but with some pity in mind, as if something worse was to come to pass. "Very well Mister Richards, you may keep your pet."

"And the girl?" Mod asked, clearly frustrated that his villainous name wasn't being utilized.

"We have no use for a troublesome hostage," Psimon stated simply, his meaning well grasped among the villains.

Gizmo's head poked out from behind the counter, making sure that the hurricane was over and done with. "Sooo… you're gonna kill her?"

The old psychic seemed to be pondering something as his robes drug across the now trashed floor, his gaze distant, and his attention elsewhere. "No, that would only cause more problems in the long run. But how to use her to our advantage?"

If smiles could get any more crooked, any darker, Mod had a perfectly fitted one as he pressed his shades further up his nose with a hidden gleam. He stood to his feet and pointed his gem-headed cane at Raven, his expression devoid of any resignation. "Stony, be a chap and kindly move."

Cinderblock grumbled something unintelligible, but removed his hand from Raven, backing away as she groaned. Raven herself was feeling the pain. Her body ached all over, and it didn't help that her head now pulsed angrily from her temporary loss of control. She barely found the strength to prop herself up on one hand as she clutched her head with the other. Her top set of eyes had closed, but her emotions were gathering for a round two.

"We don't have to kill 'em. We just need to mangle one permanently, and steal the other," Mod chuckled. He turned to Psimon, half asking for permission, half letting him know he was going to do it anyway. Returning to his self-assigned task, he looked past his meta-human shield. "Now-now, ya snot, be a good doggie, and do some damage for dear ol' Moddie."

A slight _slush_ ing sound commenced as the changeling became an unidentifiable mass before moved to all fours, his body morphing flawlessly as his hypnotized brain took Mod's words into a literal light. A large green wolf lowered its head, a low growl rumbling through its chest as he stepped forward.

"Beast Boy?" Raven groaned, glancing up at him.

A small running start, and a single paw pushed Raven back down with a gasp. She almost didn't feel the pain that shot through her back, her hood knocked loose as she stared up into the pink of an open maw. From this close, she might have seen the way those white fanged pearls glistened from the saliva dripping down them, she might also have seen how its ears lay back against its head, or the hackles of its back bristled hostilely. But her violet eyes moved from the mouth to the green eyes that stared back at her. Unlike the rest of its aggressive body language, the eyes were hazed, but soft. Torn.

Despite the villain's orders, the wolf stopped short, its mouth left half open as if it didn't know what it was supposed to be doing; a moment of confusion crossing its face. A small whine exited its mouth as she tried pushing him away physically, attempting to collect herself along with her frayed emotions.

"Don't just stand there," Mod ordered, pointing his cane at them. "Take a bite. Perhaps out of those nasty magic-casting hands."

Raven could feel the animal over her quiver, the paw against her chest shaking as her friend's mouth reached down only to stop again.

" _Ah_ - _I_ …."

Eyes widened from all present. The destroyed surrounding meant nothing in light of that sound; the sound of a syllable forming in a bestial mouth.

" _Ah-I k-ca-n't_ ," a guttural rasp escaped the wolf's mouth, his eyes squinting shut as his whole body trembled. " _I-I can't_."

"I didn't know he could talk while he's an animal!" Gizmo shouted, the occupancy of the fridge behind him completely forgotten, while Cinderblock grumbled in agreement.

Rather unfazed, Psimon turned to Mod. "I thought you had control over him. Has he ever broken control before? Should I intervene?"

"Don't get your knickers in a twist," Mod spat, pulling out a pocket watch. "'E's not awake yet, so 'e's actin' on instinct. I just need to utilize some of the subliminal programming I did and put 'im further under. More than one trick, remember? Now, quiet, the lot of you."

Psimon huffed, watching as Mod opened the watch, the ticking abnormally loud as it broadcasted across the room. "Now-now, just listen to the watch me duckie." A few seconds of intense ticking went by before he snapped it shut, the wolf's ears flicking as its head hung low once again. "Now, be a good little tot and make sure that nasty girly can't hurt ol' Moddie again."

"Beast Boy," Raven whispered, trying to make only a portion of her voice reach him, trying to conjure if only a spark of her power. She couldn't gain controlled grasp on it though, some fear worming its way into her thoughts. She was tired, she was scared, and she didn't want to hurt him. It frustrated her how much she couldn't do anything right then. She didn't have a way to save either of them, and she was virtually helpless against him and the small band that had infiltrated the Tower.

He no longer seemed hesitant or hypnotized, gradually falling into whatever command Mod had given him as he began to growl at her, the deep rumble reverberating through his paws and into her chest. He wasn't reasonable, almost feral looking as that soft haze in his eyes was gone, replaced by a blank nothing. His lips curled into a snarl, and his nose wrinkled, adding a terrifying aspect to his mindless state.

"Hey, it's okay," she said, a hand gently raising in calm surrender. That was the wrong move.

Her movement triggered a reaction. She wasn't aware that anything had happened until a jolt of pain shot up from her arm. Her eyes slowly appraised the source, widening as she fell immediately into denial.

His wet nose quivering through his muffled growl, the changeling's mouth had encompassed around her forearm, her vision swimming as she noticed his sunken teeth having bit through the long sleeves of her leotard, a gentle trickle of red already sticking to the corners of his mouth. His tongue adjusted against her arm as his grip tightened, causing her to suck in her breath with a wince.

And all at once the growling stopped. The wolf face going slack.

Raven didn't move, still unable to comprehend what had just happened. Her eyes didn't leave him even when she felt his tongue readjust, unable to tell the difference between his spittle and her blood.

* * *

There wasn't so much a taste as a smell. The taste was salty, and a little bitter, blended perfectly with a dash of sweet. But the smell; lavender foremost, with some hints of pungent herbs, and smoky scent that was strangely rich when blended with the added copper aroma. But that smell. It was strange, a combination of desolate ash, and sweet wood, like someone had burned a fruit tree. Maybe cherry? It was a smell that instilled a sense of inborn and instinctual fear, but at the same time, it was soothing, calming.

It was a startling smell, made all the more startling by the fact that he could taste it.

It felt like waking from a dream, a dark black fading into a strange mixture of color. That taste. Why did he taste it? Why should it startle him to taste it, but not to smell it?

He could see, his gaze staring out at a grim down-trekked sun, sinking into the horizon of the ocean. The sky was covered in black storm clouds. On closer inspection, he was looking out some shattered windows, the glass and pattering rain littering the floor with twinkling shards.

There was something in his mouth that he had bit down around. Was it dangerous? He didn't normally sink his teeth into things unless they were, but it wasn't even his normal teeth. His body felt strange, like it wasn't his normal form… no, he was a wolf. Carefully, he let go, making sure that the thing he had latched onto didn't turn around to bite him back.

That smell. It was pungent, but why was he smelling it. He looked down at what had been captive in his mouth. It snatched away, and he hopped back, startled. Gems. Amethyst eyes met his and for a moment, he was absolutely stunned.

Until full force of his conscious mind began to surface.

That smell, it was in his mouth, around his lips, coating his teeth. Those eyes, they were afraid, staring deeper than a soul should dwell. Raven. Her arm was clutched to her chest, strange teeth marks about it, dripping blood; blood he cherished, blood he sheltered. Blood he tasted.

It only took a moment for the wires to connect and he regressed back into his human form. Someone was yelling at him, but it was muffled as his head pulsed. His gloved hand shook as it rose to his mouth, pulling away to see a rich red staining his fingertips. That smell… her blood.

He glanced back up at her wounded arm, cradled to her chest. His teeth did that. _He_ did that.

"Rae?" he croaked, his lip trembling, his eyes becoming moist. He couldn't spit the taste out, he couldn't swallow, he couldn't vomit, he couldn't rid himself of a building realization that was beginning to weigh heavily in his chest. "Rae, did I-?" He couldn't finish. It had to be dream; a nightmare. He must still be asleep.

He pinched his arm just to be sure, but when his eyes opened again, he hadn't left. He was still in the Common's amidst littered debris, and his mouth still hung heavy with her blood.

"He's not responding. Looks like I'll have to be a little ol' fashion."

Beast Boy was suddenly staring at a swirl of black and white, the dark beginning to consume him again. But the taste wouldn't let him go. It had soaked into his tongue, and now it wouldn't disappear even after a good mouth washing. His eyes glanced up, revealing a familiar face that immediately became startled.

"Come on now, sleep tight," Mod said, attempting to keep the hand-held screen in his vision. "This time bite 'er like you mean it."

More dots connected, more wires sparked, synapses fired thoughtfully. A shadow fell over his eyes, and his ears twitched as an accumulation of his senses became aware of other presences that didn't belong in his den, in his home. "Was it you?"

"Wha?" The villain seemed startled that he was responding at all.

Beast Boy's teeth gritted, fully aware and awake for the first time in hours. And it sucked. A deep rumble shook the Tower, a reminder of the ensuing thunderstorm outside, escalating by the rumble that was building in his chest. His hand lashed out, knocking the screen out of Mod's hands.

"Did. You. Tell. Me. To. Bite. Her?" he reiterated between seething teeth, his eyes slitting down the middle in an instant. A crackling began under his skin as his hand began to scrape into the floor, black claws beginning to poke through his gloves.

"Restrain him!" a voice called out.

Beast Boy hissed as a large stone hand wrapped around his chest, lifting him into the air. His arm made it out between a pair of fingers as he caught a view of his captor. "Cinderblock!" He turned, seeing some weird guy in robes and his brain in a jar, magenta lines glowing along the grey matter. What was his name? Simon or something. And if that prepubescent scent mixed with oil, copper wiring, and warm circuitry was any indication: Gizmo.

He yowled, scratching at the hand that held him as it squeezed.

"So much for your plan," Gizmo whined, the mechanical whir of his retractable robotic legs clanking as he walked over. Beast Boy turned in time to see Gizmo starring at him. "Never thought your screens wouldn't work. But it looks like Booger Boy got out of it.

"So Psimon, what do you want to do about the Titans?"

"We stick with the original plan," Psimon stated. "We came for revenge, so we take it. Break these two, and let the others follow their own course of justice after us. The end result will still be the Titan's cast from their Mount Othrys." He looked at Raven, a strange glow to his eyes. "We spent too long in ice. And my masters were none too pleased."

"And did you tell your _team_ who your masters are," Raven taunted with a broken smirk, some fight returning to her as her own gleam entered her eyes, her words holding a deeper knowledge to them. "Maybe they would like to know."

A magenta corona surrounded her, lifting her off the ground as it began to squeeze slowly.

"Put her down you bastard!" Beast Boy roared, struggling against his stronger captor. "You hurt her, and I'll rip your guts out."

"But you're the one who hurt _her_ ," Psimon stated, giving him a cruel smile before returning his attention to Raven, glancing at her arm almost captively. "I wonder if it will heal properly."

This wasn't how Raven wanted to feel; not after all they had just been through together. On one hand, he _had_ hurt her; on the other, it had been under Mod's control. On one hand, she would be lying if she said she wasn't touched by a fear of him; on the other, his guilt rose in him again as he ceased to struggle against Cinderblock. He gave her the briefest of looks before the tears welled up in his eyes, and his head fell slack. Before the fight had started, he was already defeated.

"Fortunately for you," Psimon continued, drawing her attention again, "my masters prefers you alive. Unfortunately, undamaged is no longer an option. Had your friend remained under Mister Richard's control, then he might have lived, albeit, with your permanent disability and possibly the lives of his friends on his conscience. It's too bad he can't be kept as a pet anymore."

Raven tried to summon her own powers in retaliation, only for it fizzle weakly. "Leave him alone."

"Far too late for that, daughter of Trigon," the psychic whispered so only she could hear. "Gizmo, you and Mister Richards ensure that the Titans are given a proper welcome home while Cinderblock kills the boy. I'll take care of the girl. We will join you shortly."

The sound of unquestioned orders being followed commenced as the sound of Gizmo's mechanical legs and the tap of Mod's cane exited through the Common doors. Mod's grumbling about his name was heard and ignored.

The psychics powers quickly isolated to her arms and legs once they were alone, beginning to constrict slowly. Raven squeezed her eyes shut, doing her best not to cry out as she felt her appendages being crushed, miniscule by miniscule, torturously.

Beast Boy didn't struggle as Cinderblock began to squeeze around his chest, his ribs already beginning to groan in anguish. But he couldn't do anything. He had done the one thing he thought he was incapable of doing, and now he couldn't do much more than cry. He couldn't protect anything if he only turned against it in the end. He couldn't save anyone.

"Beast… Boy," Raven struggled out. "Run. They… won't kill… me. I can… still… heal. But they'll… kill… you." Her powers, she needed them. Now! Anything. Anything at all. Of all the last minutes stops she had pulled out today, she needed one now. 'Temperance? Rage? Anyone!' she thought with all her might, needing any other emotion but Fear. She couldn't be shaken just because he had bitten her at the command of a villain. She had seen his heart of hearts, so this should be nothing.

Even from so a distance, she could hear his body groaning in protest as Cinderblock squeezed, a strangely cruel smile on the golem's craggy visage. Any more and he might break.

"Damn it! Beast Boy run!" she cried, trying once again to summon her powers. Nothing. Was this it? It was only a matter of time. Villains couldn't always abide by a 'no-killing' policy when they were constantly thwarted by heroes. And revenge was as good of chance to change that policy as ever, especially when frozen the way that they were.

Raven hung her head, closing her eyes to prevent from watching, her ears the only testament to the goings on. The sound, it was so sharp, so loud, and so close. He could have been right next to her. But she didn't- She didn't want to lose another friend, and she couldn't afford for her rage and despair to appear after the fact. She didn't want to lose him.

' _Garfield_ ,' she thought despairingly, unable to form the words herself as pain wracked her limbs. ' _Fly_.'

The cracking sound of bones echoed in her ears, and she flinched, prepared to hear the drop of a body as Cinderblock tossed it away.

It never came. Instead she heard a strange sound from Cinderblock, and her psychic restraints ceased to squeeze.

Her eyes fluttered open, half-prepared for the worst: to see a limp green body void of life. Cinderblock's hand was empty, and he was staring at it like it was the most amazing thing he'd ever seen. But there was nothing to indicate that the changeling was present. He was just… gone.

"What happened?" Psimon demanded, putting a hand around his head as his eyes glowed brighter. Raven could practically feel him scanning the room. "He couldn't have just disappeared."

Cinderblock groaned mutely, shaking his hand like he was trying to rid himself of some filth he happened to pick up. The thunder outside was louder as a visible streak of lightning crossed the sky less than second before.

A small smile crossed Raven's lips, unfallen tears threatening her eyes. 'He got away. He's safe, he's okay,' she thought, a small shuddered breath escaping in relief. A gentle buzzing sound drew her weak attention. Opening her eyes heavily, a small insect hovered slowly in front of her. Gently she made out the only details that mattered: the miniscule creature was green, and it's enlarged abdomen was beginning to glow.

Cinderblock began shaking his hand in earnest, groaning frantically when Psimon wasn't catching on. A silent hum filled the air as a small pointed light touched on the back of his stone hand, a small flicker of insect wings grabbing his attention. He cocked his head, raising his free hand to smash like one would a fly. Another light flickered to life, followed by another, and another. Soon his whole lower arm was covered in small lights that together, created a gentle green hue, clearly baffling him as the whole air seemed to charge, short hairs sticking up on the end of those who had them. As one, the insects droned.

Lightning flashed. A blinding white bolt of pure untamed energy striking through the shattered Tower windows. The whole world turned searing white as the sound of instant thunder shook the Tower, shattering any unbroken glass in the vicinity. Her ears rang, body trembled, spots danced across her eyes. Through it, the sensation of fluttering wings that danced across her skin gently forming around her, crawling until it finalized as a solid form. Something large was cradling her, nestling her against an emerging soft and warm surface, her limbs no longer bound as she was bundled gently. She could feel that much at least. That, and the massive heartbeat that _Thump-thump!_ ed audibly into her body, instinctually giving her a steady sense of calm.

Her vision quickly cleared, her eyes opening to a less than common sight. Cinderblock lay on the Tower floor, his arm a smouldering molten stump, a groan escaping his wordless mouth, as if substituting for the word "Ow" wasn't enough. He looked like he had been hit by a truck from Hell. Psimon had surrounded himself in a cocoon of psychic energy, having relinquished his mental grip on the Empath to avoid the effects of a close proximitized lightning strike. His hands squeezed around his head, his eyes clenched as if expending some great force of energy to protect himself.

A wet sensation startled her out of her observations, prompting her to turn toward the source. The familiar creature that was the Apex beast held her close, it's nose gently sniffing along her face and cheek, as if insistently asking " _Are you okay?_ " It lowered its head, revealing a small flutter of glowing green insects re-assimilating with the larger creature, even as he inhaling along her form until it found the blood from her arm that had soaked along her sleeve and around her side, a sharp growl fading into a whine as it looked her in the eyes.

"I'm fine, Garfield," she insisted, wincing as she attempted to cover up her bleeding arm with her other less than wounded arm. Psimon really had been constricting her limbs, and now they felt like needles were shoved into her nerves, curtesy of her temporary shortage of circulation. Thankfully it had helped stem the bleeding of the bite, but now she was certain she was going to look like a massive bruise. "The question is, are you okay?"

He huffed, nudging at her hand to move so he could see her wound. He wasn't letting her change the subject. Even while regressed to his instincts, Beast Boy was still a pain.

She felt as her ear ticked, matching Beast Boy's pointed ear perking as they turned upward toward their enemies, a growl reverberating through both of them as Beast Boy pulled her closer.

He backed up, keeping his eyes riveted as he stepped behind the somewhat decimated remains of the Common's U-shaped couch. He gently lowered her, sliding his arm out from under her so she was lying prone, making sure she was relatively comfortable.

"What did you do?" Psimon demanded toward the strange green creature as he shed his shields, observing the damage his concrete ally had taken with some hesitancy. He was attempting to be careful now, especially since Cinderblock wasn't the type of ally to fall after just one hit. Coupled with that disappearing act, he wasn't about to underestimate the changeling again.

Beast Boy snorted, the hackles on his back waving as he shook his head. A taunt.

"Wha' happened?!" Mod shouted as the Common's doors shot open, both Mod and Gizmo rushing back in.

"Yeah! The whole building shook, and- _Aagggh!_ What the hell is that?!" Gizmo shrieked.

There were too many. There were too many to protect her from. He may not have understood the full implications in his animal state, but he knew enough. They meant harm. And that meant harm to _her_. Her arm was covered in her wounded stench, and his saliva scent mixed with it. It was his bite. Why? He could not remember; and that was worse than having a reason to bite her. But other matters pressed his limited attentions; they were many, and the big stone one was beginning to shift back to consciousness. He needed to protect her. He needed to grow bigger; stronger. He refused to _fly_ as she had commanded. There would be no more _little birds_.

His front hand-like paw stepped protectively over her, his stance widening as his looming hulk shielded her. Raven didn't know what she was witnessing, but she felt a touch of familiarity wisp across her mind as the first of his bones crackled. She didn't understand; he was already transformed, and yet something new was pushing and pulling its way out.

He grew as his spine slinked and stretched, the arms shortening to accommodate to slightly longer back legs until he was easily taller than her at the shoulder. His bulk diminished, evening and toning out across his form to a slimming length. She watched as the clawed hand to her side collapsed in on itself, finalizing as a flexing paw that housed two sets of retracting claws.

A head like a maneless tiger elongated, housing two rapidly growing canines that poked over his lower lips like small sabers. Long pointed ears popped up before their tuft laid back against his head.

Spines the diameter of dimes began to grow from under his fur, like weeds in a field, across his back and from the 'elbows' and 'knees' of the animal leg. They quickly flared open, some of them smacking with a hollow _Clack!_ that sounded like two sticks smacking sharply against each other.

As the spines grew down his back, three tails began to sprout at the base of his spine, growing out until they more than doubled the creature's length. Smaller spines danced around the emerging spaded tips, flexing with their larger cousins.

Raven watched as Beast Boy transformed, every new feature widening her eyes bit by bit. She'd never seen a full-grown Malkarasha, and no amount of reading about it, no picture, did it justice. But with it came a painful realization: 'Beast Boy takes on the instincts of the creatures he becomes.'

That thought alone held no weight, but- 'Malkarasha's are notoriously loyal. Once their trust is earned, they will defend the object of that trust to the death.' Her own words rang with sharp clarity, and a weight settled in her chest as those two thoughts collided.

The changeling's new form attained, his teeth bared. His position didn't change, covering Raven protectively as his tails whipped across the already trashed Common's.

"Easy now lad," Mod said, a look of nervousness crossing his face. Mod could remember the Green Titan that had fallen for the simplest of hypnosis techniques. Now in one day, he had not only broken it, he now stared at Mod like he was the mouse that overgrown cat-thing was hunting. There was plenty he could do in that situation. His hypnosis didn't work, but he still had his holograms, and if need be, his robots. But then, why didn't he feel like it would be enough.

"Are you kidding me?" Gizmo whispered with a weak whine. He'd never seen something like that, much less from Booger- Beast Boy. Even his own thoughts were correcting themselves instinctually out of fear. He was especially wary of the two sets of claws on each paw, each one looking like it could slice through his mechanical legs like they were scissors to paper.

Psimon said nothing as he held a hand to his head, attempting to gain entry into the creature's mind. He'd barely stepped through the proverbial threshold before something lashed at him. He didn't hesitate to back out. What was it? Was it the girl? No, she was still too stunned, staring at the creature with a mixture of fear and sadness that wasn't lost on the psychic. Was he trained? At best, non-psychics could redirect or block their thoughts; but to lash out mentally?

Regathering himself again, Psimon was stopped in his tracks as his heart seized in his chest. He felt sweat cumulate almost instantly on the back of his neck, his breath catching in his throat. His body thought it should be trembling, but he couldn't. He turned toward the shapeshifter, his own silent inquiry answered as he caught those slit eyes. Something primitive, something dulled by evolution in humans, screamed from within him that there was no point in trying to fight or escape. Some long-lost instinct told him exactly where he stood on the food chain, and that was as little more than a snack to the creature in front of him.

"Cinderblock! Rise!" he commanded weakly, his voice riddled with fear.

The concrete golem groaned as it shifted, sitting up as if he had hit his head. He caught one look at the changeling before moaning angrily, pushing to his feet as his melted stub of a hand began reforming into its original purpose. He felt no fear. He wasn't flesh, but stone; and no one could kill stone.

Raven felt, more than saw, as Beast Boy's claws gripped into the ground around her. His ears flattened against his head as his maw opened in a puma-like scream, challenging Cinderblock in kind. A gentle chitter turned into a full-blown drone of rattling as the quills on his back vibrated, as if someone had turned a giant rain stick upside-down… and forgot to hit the off-switch. All three tails curled upward in a scorpion-like fashion, scrapping against the Common's ceiling. The spaded tips opened like fleshy mouths, the soft sound of expanding flesh made prominent by the strange residue covered apparatus that flexed outward, like acute shaped needles of keratin covered in mucus.

"Uh, we're not fighting right?" Gizmo gulped, his goggled eyes moving from the claws to the strange three hypodermic bayonets that sheathed and unsheathed from the tail tips repeatedly, as if they were exercising their new freedom.

"I'm with the snot," Mod agreed, backing away… very… slowly. "Nothing wrong with a tactical regroupin'."

Cinderblock didn't make his case for retreat, in vain though it would have been. Instead the goliath stomped forward, barrelling straight for the changeling with a grinding roar.

The green Malkarasha crouched low, his claws unhooking from the floor before his head bent down, snatch Raven by the neck of her cloak before leaping to the air… and over Cinderblock.

The others had forgotten the absence of windows, or that they currently resided on one of the top floors of the Tower. So the moment the changeling had leapt, Cinderblock instantly slammed on the brakes, teetering dangerously over the edge of the Tower as he reeled his massive arms to prevent from falling.

A gentle tick alerted him, and he turned noticing one of the changeling's weaponized tail ends was gently poking into his back. The golem looked up to see slit eyes glancing back at him mischievously, and even through the mouthful of cloak, there was a hint of an animalistic smirk.

All three tails 'bumped' against the already disbalanced Cinderblock, and over he dropped like a rock, his yell already beginning to fade. Four pairs of eyes looked at the spot he had disappeared from, listening as a few seconds later they heard a loud _Boom!_ from below, followed by a weak moan the echoed up a few seconds later.

"A little warning next time," Raven muttered distantly, feeling more than a little light headed. At least the landing had been surprisingly soft, but 'soft' did little to alleviate the fuzzy feeling in her head.

She was gently laid back on the ground as the changeling placed her down, his quills clicking in agitation when she held her head.

Psimon hissed, attempting to reach into the creature's mind again. He briskly retreated as something lashed back out but made no attempt to attack his mind, only defend its own. A guttural growl drew his attention to its eyes, and he was again reminded of the insignificance of his evolution. It wasn't there to attack, it was stationary as it protected the girl… it's ward. But his masters had given orders, so even if Psimon had to expend his pawns, he was to obey.

"Mod, summon some of your toys," Psimon ordered, "Gizmo, keep him at bay." A darker glow entered his eyes as he a magenta aura encompassed the surrounding debris.

While reluctant, the remaining villains obeyed. Mod pressed a button on his cane, holographic decoys spawning in bulk as he finished pushing another button. Statuette busts of the villain dropped into view outside the shattered windows, chopper blades motored their rotors from their heads, and their eyes sprouting blasters. Gizmo's mechanical legs retracted into his harness, depositing him back on the ground. Just as quickly, his harness shot open; rocket launchers, blasters, laser beams, hovering rover machine gun units, and just for good measure, a set of high-intensity cattle prods. He wasn't taking any chances when Boog- Beast Boy looked like _that_.

Raven sat up from her position on the floor, her head spinning lightly as she took in the ensuing threats. "I call dibs on Psimon," she mumbled, her attempts to stand failing as she fell right on to his awaiting large paw. "I'm fine Garfield. You can't take them alone."

His ear ticked at his name, a gentle sniff revealing what he needed to know. She was losing blood; not fast, but she was still losing it. Whatever part of his human mind still functioned, it fell a little guiltier as he observed the bite mark.

A flick of one of his tails shot a string of barbed quills out of the window, three of Mod's bots falling out of the sky instantly while a few others started sparking. He glanced down at her with a raised eyebrow as if to ask, " _You were saying?_ "

"Don't get coy," she chided, trying to refocus as another wave of nausea hit her.

The paw that held her suddenly pulled her close, hugging her closer against his chest. The sounds of pierced flesh rang in her ears as she turned, the green fur of his leg matted with blood. Beast Boy's attack on Mod's bots had been the trigger, and now Psimon had made his move.

The changeling moved, keeping his defence around Raven, his tails were frenzy of force as they cracked like whips, a shrapnel of quills striking in every which direction. The crowd of Mod's scattered, Gizmo's instruments firing automatically to intercept the projectiles, while Psimon pulled up the floor of the Tower to shield himself. More Mod-bots fell, but more began to fill-in.

A sharp hiss of pain exited the Malkarasha's maw, one of Gizmo's stray blasts striking him in the flank, but the retaliation of his quills taking out a laser and a prod almost worth the exchange. He sniffed, his senses finding his prize among the false-realities as one tail strayed, the spaded tip opening up with its protrusion to pierce the real Mod in the leg, depositing him down before he had time to exclaim, his cane rolling out of reach, and his projections dispersing.

Psimon retaliated, a swirling tornado of fuchsia-encased debris flying hazardously toward them as his grey matter glowed.

"Hey watch it!" Gizmo snapped as a shrapnel of broken glass flew just over him, "You'll hit us too!" When Psimon didn't let up, two rockets made his case, dispersing the attack in an explosion. "Are you crazy?! You don't attack your team you barf-brain!"

A moment gained, a few more of Mod's busts were shot from the sky, even as they began to open fire.

Raven's thoughts, though muddled, were significantly clear in some areas as the changeling snatched her up by the cloak again, rolling out of the line of fire toward where Mod lay wounded.

'Shouldn't Garfield be faster?' she asked herself.

'He's protecting me,' she answered in kind. 'I'm slower and can't use my powers right now, so he's making sure I don't get hurt.'

He set her down behind the remnants of the kitchen counter, hissing as his back faced the open windows. His quills flared up, daggers firing rapidly from his back as Mod's seemingly endless barrage fired back.

For the first time, Raven felt alone as she attempted to watch from behind the counter. She wasn't used to being left on the sidelines, much less for her own safety. She turned as something caught her eye. Mod's cane lay some distance from him, but not too far out of her reach… but she would be temporarily exposed.

Her hand outstretched as she tried to summon a dark claw. Not a shadow came to her aide when she called, and her Soul-Self was equally unavailable.

'Can I afford to be Beast Boy Impulsive?' she inquired. Fortunately, being mentally fuzzled gave her an answer. 'I'll ease up on his next few antics,' she compromised.

Peeking out from behind the counter, Beast Boy now had no problems avoiding attacks now that he wasn't pinned down protecting her. The busts seemed focused, as even Gizmo and Psimon had to take cover when the Malkarasha dodged about past them lest they take a hail of bullets. Clearly Mod hadn't thought to label them as friends either, so his busts were indifferent to their demise.

As long as they were distracted….

She moved quickly, standing several feet out from her safe place as her hand snatched up the shaft of the cane. She stumbled back to her spot, holding the cane to her chest as she breathed to clear her head.

As she regained her composure, she was met with the red gemed grip. Mod had always used his thumb to activate it. She stared at it with a stupefied expression. How many times had she told Beast Boy not to push big red buttons? Or anything really, but mostly big red buttons, since his finger always gravitated toward those.

Now she saw the appeal. It was something you were probably not supposed to touch, but it was there, begging you to find out what it did.

She slapped a hand to her forehead, hoping to banish any more Beast Boy-like thoughts. "I must be losing more blood than I thought," she muttered, glaring at her arm. It wasn't terrible looking; not for the symptoms she was feeling. 'Okay, so I'll ease up on him a lot.'

Not knowing what else to do without thinking it through, she pressed her thumb against it quickly, cringing as though she was pushing the button that would set off a bomb. The gunfire stopped, and she slowly peered out from behind the counter.

Mod's tacky statues didn't drop like she had thought they would, but they did begin chopping back to wherever they had come from. Pity, but Raven wasn't up for cleaning the Tower's shoreline covered in Mod statues, so their retreat was fine.

"Well that was disappointin'," Mod groaned, leaning against the Tower stairs, having rolled up his white pant leg for a better view of his limp leg. His wound looked nasty. Not too deep, but yellow ooze already trickled down his calf and caked around the opening, the skin surface around it enflamed and bulged. "Thought I was supposed to be the master, give the orders. Instead, that brat sticks me, an' I can't feel my leg. Bollocks!"

"You're lucky that wasn't worse," Raven commented, keeping an eye on the villain. "You successfully ordered him to bite me. I think under different circumstances, he would have aimed for your heart, not your leg. But don't worry. It's just a non-lethal paralysis venom. It helps weaken larger prey, or in your case, lose feeling in your leg."

"So where'd the little snot learn to break my 'ypnosis? And where did 'e learn to turn into…that?" Mod asked with a weak gesture at the creature in combat with his 'allies'.

"From me," she stated simply. It was true enough she supposed... on both accounts.

"Well then," Mod said, tipping his fingers. "Ol' Moddie salutes your schoolin'." Then added as an afterthought in disgust, "But don't let it go to yur head. You heroes never leave us villain's alone, and I aim to beat that lesson into ya's one way or another."

"You're the ones who attack us," Raven returned with her signature deadpan. "So the feeling is mutual."

A shriek drew Raven's attention. She was in time to see Gizmo toss his harness as a number of Beast Boy's quills were embedded in the now fizzling equipment before it exploded, raining bits of metal and parts here and there. "I surrender!" Gizmo cried, holding his hands out to cover his face as Beast Boy's pantherine form held his muzzle directly in front of the child.

His mouth opened, and the roar he released caused the boy-genius to cringe, his breath knocking Gizmo over before turning to his main quarry. Psimon stood with his hands encircling his head, a set of large quills hovering encompassed in his psychic power, their tips pointed inches from his chest like he had only just stopped them.

"You will suffer for this," he breathed, clearly hoping this fight would have ended sooner… and more favorably. He let go of his head, but his eyes didn't cease glowing. The Tower began shaking as he glared at the changeling. "All of you weaklings will fall today one way or anoth-uh."

The Malkarasha had moved swiftly while his prey was rambling. Like the flash of a passing blurry green landscape, it was stationed behind Psimon. The apparatus in one of its tails stuck shallowly into the psychic's lower back, the fleshy mouth of the spaded tip latching on as he was lifted off the ground. The creature had control, it's venom already seeping into his prey as its tail turned him around. Green slits met magenta eyes; and at that moment, Psimon listened to the dulled instincts his ancestors had possessed but could no longer do anything about it. The venom was numbing his lower spine, and everything below. He couldn't feel his legs. Even his ability to think seemed strangely hazed as the glow faded from his eyes.

The two other spaded tails opened, gripping around the psychic's hands. It lifted them, mimicking the position Psimon had rendered Raven in, and without remorse, the apparatuses fully extended, piercing clear through his hands. The yell that rang out was enough to make pieces of the shattered Common tremble, but little else could happen as even Psimon's cries grew faint when the venom took effect.

The tails pulled Psimon closer until he stood face to face with the creature. He could feel it's hot breath, observe its flat ears, see the bursting novae of green that made up the irises of its eyes. By comparison he was small, insignificant. He was prey.

" _H-hurt her again_ ," it growled just above a whisper, it's voice soft and deep, " _and there won't be any pieces of you left_." All at once, it dropped him, it's promising threat complete. It began walking back to it's ward, it's body groaning inaudibly.

If the Tower had looked bad before, it looked like a tornado had passed through now. Furniture and glass was tossed about; scratches, bullet holes and quills littered floor and ceiling alike, and parts of the infrastructure were bent and misshapen.

Cracks and groans echoed in Beast Boy's bones as he began to shrink. In a moment, his body returned to its human form, depositing him on all fours. He felt… weird. A strange buzz filling up his gut as he turned over, sitting down with a huff as he took in the damage he hadn't been humanly conscious enough to witness.

"Damn," he laughed weakly, gaining some awareness to what damage was his, and what wasn't, "Cy and Robin are gonna be pissed when they see this." He looked back at Psimon, observing the psychic's wounds with some curiosity. Those were wounds he inflicted. He could sense it. Blood _he_ had shed, and for the life of him, he couldn't bring himself to regret it. He turned, seeing Gizmo huddled on the floor in a fetal-crash position, shaking like he had seen Raven with her hood off again. And ahead of him, Mod was laying against the stairs, taking in stiff and pained breaths as he tried to get his leg to function.

Beast Boy's stomach dropped when he looked dead ahead. Raven was slowly walking toward him, Mod's cane in hand as she plopped down next to him. Her arm was still bleeding, and his jaw clenched reflexively as it began to tremble, looking at _his_ teeth marks with distain… and sorrow.

"Crazy day, huh?" Raven stated nonchalantly, completely avoiding deeper conversation. When Beast Boy didn't answer, she turned, observing the weight his emotions were carrying. "It's fine Garfield. It wasn't your-"

"Fault?" he finished for her, glancing up briefly to meet her eyes. "Try telling that to the ninety-six-point-seven million species under my skin."

"That was Mod," she stated firmly, glancing back at the wounded Brit. "He was the one who hypnotized you."

"But I shouldn't have been hypnotized!" he shot back, quieting quickly once he realized he had raised his voice. "It shouldn't have happened, like I could just fall right into it without any resistance."

It was silent for a couple moments before he spoke again. "What if that had been one of the others?"

"Garf-" she started, only to be cut off again.

"I'm serious, Rae. If I bit you, then what would I have done if it was Cyborg? Or Robin? Or even Star?"

"Why would that make a difference?" she asked, her brows furrowing in confusion. "It could have happened to anyone, so why-?"

"Rae." His voice cracked, a single tear falling absently. "I bit _you_. I hurt _you_. I-I didn't think I could do that."

For all his odd behaviors, this had her completely thrown. He was trembling, his arms wrapping around his head as his knees came up to his chest. That guilt, that massive pain she had worked to disperse, weighed inside of him, clouding his emotional hues. His emotions were so dark, and she didn't know where to begin shedding light.

She swayed slightly. Focusing was so hard. She couldn't think about his emotions right now when her vision was clouding over. She breathed deeply trying to regain her composure, but without the adrenaline from fighting, she felt completely drained. Maybe if she just took a short….

"Rae? Rae!" She felt really light… but strangely heavy. Maybe it had to do with the strange lights that were passing by quickly, like traveling in a car on the highway through a tunnel. What time was it anyway? The blur of thoughts was mesmerizing, and she wasn't able to keep her eyes open for long before everything went black. Even dreams were strangely fuzzy.

* * *

 **A/N:** And the chapter concludes, prepare for the next.

Forever again, if there is anything that needs edited, or is connecting in a weird way for you guys, let me know and I'll try to clean up the text. I do accept grammar and spelling errors too (PM these if possible, and I'll add them to my next Hard Edit)

As always (and I'll just keep posting this because its true), keep posting your constructive criticisms, as they will help me know what to look for in my future writings, and for the days I decide to do a hard edit. I look forward to growing as a writer for you guys and myself.

Wow! So this is my longest chapter yet, just a couple sentences short of ten-thousand words. At first I just started writing, but then I didn't stop, and before I knew it, the chapter was several thousand words beyond my normal chapter length. I half-considered splitting it, but then I would have had to make you guys wait another week for the goods. I'm just glad I was able to finish it.

I'm not completely sure how to comment on this chapter as far as the content. It may irk some of you to read, but I had actually planned the frame of _this_ particular chapter for a while, because this is what I knew would set the ground work for Parts 2 and 3 (the names are not to be revealed just yet):

Most of you might be wondering about Psimon as his character is completely absent in the Teen Titans series except for a couple parts of Season 5, and I think some of the Teen Titans series comic. Don't quote me. I had only found out through research that his character was in Young Justice, but I haven't watched that, so he ended up more like his comic counterpart for the sake of having him filled in a little bit. For those of you who know about that, you might make some pretty good guesses as to where this is going.

Mad Mod was also mildly changed. When I heard about some of the tricks hypnotists used, the ones I researched were careful to maintain at least a couple types of hypnotism up their sleeves. And given Mod's track record and 'age', I assumed that hypno-screens were not the extent of his hypnotic prowess. So, I elaborated on his skills.

 *****A/N:** **If there is a native of Great Britain reading this, I'm asking for all the help I can get making Mod's accent as accurate as possible in writing. Google searching will only do so much, and I prefer linguistic accuracy. Please Private Message for revisions. *Hands clap together* Please, I'm beggin' you. I'm American and uncultured! (LOL! but seriously)**

I did in fact have to get this villainous lineup from my little sister since no one had any particular villains they wished to see, and I have to admit, it wasn't too shabby. She only watches Teen Titan's GO! (not for my lack of trying to _properly_ educate her in the ways of Teen Titans), so... it could have been worse. It could have been _SO_ much worse.

I hope you guys enjoyed, so please Read and Review. Please indulge my curiosity, and let me know what parts you liked, what parts need work, and overall what you guys think about it so far :D And I'll respond the best I can with my reasoning behind the matter... as long as it isn't a SPOILER!

 _Tamaranian Translations (Original Translation)_ **:**

 _None this week!_

(Review Response disclaimer: I ramble sometimes. That's just me being excited. If I don't ramble, I'm still excited, just calm. Also, I have a "different" sense of humor. I swear it's not you, it's completely and utterly me.)

And now for the new _Reviews Responses_ :

\- FanficsOP: I'm glad to hear that it's your favorite, and I can say that I enjoyed lightening things up a bit after the seriousness of the past few chapters. I'd love to get a two-hundred forty-seven unbroken combo in a game. *Sigh* Props for reality.

\- FF8cerberus: I think I mention in a previous chapter that Raven had come to some semblance of understanding with her emoticlones, and that they are active, if not minusculed reflections of her actual feelings. Because as humans, we do tend to read/dwell too much into/on our emotions. Having her come to that realization was what I felt she needed to move forward with her relationships, especially since expression is still a foreign concept to her.

As I put more thought into the Atlas/Overload fusion, I began to realize the depth of trouble I had given the other Titans. As much as I wanted to skip over the fight entirely, when I realized just how much of a conundrum I had created, I had to visualize how it would play out. I didn't actually see it as their personal growth as villains. It wasn't so much time and planning like it was with Adonis, it was synergy. All it takes sometimes in a fight is the right combination of abilities and skills, and things can flip in favor of the bad guys quickly. Adonis "Leveled Up!", Atlas and Overload created a "Party", in RPG terms. I hope that makes sense.

Let me know what you think of this chapter. I await your Review :D

\- wigglewolf27: As I got to thinking about how the emoticlones manifested, particularly how Temperance and Suffering showed up in this story, I got to thinking about how Envy and Hope came to be. For some reason, Robin saying that Raven was the most hopeful person he had ever met connected a few dots, and low-and-behold, Hope was born. To be honest, part of this was inspired by the Bleach manga, when Zangetsu complains to Ichigo that his dreams used to be towering skyscrapers, that at the time had taken the shape of the town he lived in and was protecting. That was kind of what I thought of when I thought of Raven's Hopes and dreams. Sometimes, we don't need huge dreams. Sometimes, it's the small ones that make us happy.

I am sorry for the confusion with the fighting. I think that's because my thoughts match the pace of the battle, so I tend to accelerate my writing style in conjunction with the fight as I see it. When I envision these things, I'm catching the little bits and pieces I _do_ see. And trying to add dialogue in the middle of it can make it all the more confusing, because I'm chaining two current events happening simultaneously into one sentence. But I do have to admit, 'watching' them combo attack was one of my favorite parts. I'm thinking the whole group needs a variety of combos, so I'll be working on those as well.

And no worries about responding late. With my chapters coming out on Sunday evenings or just Monday in general, most people probably don't get to see it until the following weekend. And good luck in school! Unfortunately, I've run out of heart-based jokes and puns. RIP heart.

*End of Review Response

NOOOO! SteinMon1920518! How could you let this happen?! What were you thinking having Beast Boy bite Raven?! ... Ehem! The fans are just as curious as I am, so read Falling Apart - Chapter 21 :/ when it comes out, if he even bothers to answer our questions at all!


	22. Chapter 21

Chapter 21:

* * *

 **A/N:** Alas, we near our end my fine readers.

Week twenty-three has come and gone with sweet tones and lovely music. The weather is supposed to cool down considerably, and man it's gonna be lovely.

I know that ending of a story is generally the worst part (if any books I've read are an indication), so please pardon, and if there is a way to improve it, let me know. I want this story to keep floating solidly throughout it's chapters.

We're at ninety-seven Reviews (Holy mother of Pearl!), seventy-seven Favorites (another six to the roster! Whoo!), eighty-nine Followers (and another eight? YAY!), and almost fifteen-thousand three-hundred views. (P.S. I use this particular note as a kind of mile stone for myself). We're wrapping up. Only the Epilogue is left, and then we'll continue on with the series after I make the Hard Edit's officially.

Read and Review, post your Questions, Comments, and Concerns; I'll do my best to accommodate any responses you might have for me

Disclaimer: I own a pillow that I'm gonna lay down on in a moment, and hug tenderly. But I don't own Teen Titans

Without further adieu. *Que the dimming of the lights*

* * *

Falling Apart:

Chapter 21-

Raven's eyes shot open with a start, her heart seizing in her chest as she bolted upright. "GARFIELD!" Her breath was instantly ragged, her heartbeat pounding as a bead of sweat formed on her forehead. She felt suspended for a moment before she fell, landing softly but pointedly on her tailbone.

"Ow," she hissed as she rubbed the sore, looking around. She was in the Med-Bay, the lights were on, and she had just come out of a Healing Trance. Her heart beat didn't slow down though. It remained thumping swiftly. Had it been a dream? If it was, then it was a really crappy one.

She felt the bed underneath her. It was a regular bed. No mossy bump on a log; ergo, no Beast Boy. But if that had been a dream, then where-?

"Friend!" An impossibly strong set of arms wrapped around her, squeezing what little breath she had managed to gather out of her lungs.

"Star-fire, ribs… breaking," she wheezed. She took a deep breath as the pressure abated, coughing as the air rushed back into her lungs. Sweet-sweet air.

"I am sorry, friend," the Tamaranian said, hugging Raven more gently, but just as fervently. One hand held Raven gently behind the head, even as they matched ear to ear, the depth of Starfire's concern transmitting to Raven via Empathy, "but you had us in the worry. We were not sure when you would do the waking."

"I'm fine, Starfire," she responded gravelly, allowing a small reassuring smile to touch her face. It was then she realized that some of Starfire's hair had inexplicably gone curly, with touches of scorch marks here and there. "Who'd you guys fight? And how do they look?"

Starfire pulled away, the look on her face saying that she didn't believe her but would drop it for the moment. "We fought thee Atlas and Overload. They had done the fusing into one being. It was a most unpleasant experience, but we were victorious in the end. Atlas will not be doing the walking until his parts are replaced." The last part she said with a hint of anger.

Raven sensed an interesting story in there somewhere, but it seemed like it could wait. "Is everyone alright?"

"Oh yes friend!" Starfire exclaimed, almost ashamed she had made her think otherwise. "The greatest of injuries was incurred by friend Cyborg, but that was from he and I completing a combination attack that did the… how do you say? 'Blowing them away?' Yes. That seems accurate.

"But no worries friend. We were relatively unharmed." Starfire appraised Raven again. "And what about you? You were doing the bad, but not terrible, when we arrived. You had bruises along your limbs that looked like you had done the fighting with a _Valbak Kesbarkof_ of my home-world. The villains Mad Mod, Psimon, and Gizmo were passed out in our destroyed recreational room, and Cinderblock was laying outside the Tower in a ditch of his own falling."

'So it wasn't a dream,' she thought, her brows furrowing.

"I feel fine," she stated again, rubbing her head. Something brushed against her face and she tried blowing it away, only for it to fall back into place. She pulled her hand away, noticing the bandage for the first time. Her right forearm was covered in a thin lining of gauze that had started to unravel. The wrapping was gentle, precise; fitting like a second skin as though someone had taken their time making sure it was in place. "Where is Ga- I mean, where is Beast Boy?"

A strangely blank look came over Starfire's face, but she couldn't hide her true emotions. It wasn't in her Tamaranian nature. Raven could sense the apprehension, the inquisitiveness, the reluctance that practically poured off her friend. She lived her emotions, just like Garfield; with an unbridled intensity. But for some reason, his always cut deeper into her psyche, despite how often he masked his true emotions. It was strange.

"We…," Starfire started, gently sitting down on the edge of the bed as she stared off at the Med-Bay door, as if she expected someone to come in at any moment. "We… were hoping you would do the telling us," she answered.

Raven had to take a moment to process her words, mulling over them carefully. "What do you mean?"

Starfire shook her head gently, unable to hide the worry that was slowly emerging across her face. "Friend Beast Boy has not been seen since we have last seen him, when he was in the Bay of Meds. We have done the checking of the Tower, including his room, and the roof. I am afraid he is not here."

Raven's empathy shot out of its own accord, the radius extending over the entire island, and a little beyond, every aspect of the Tower she could fathom, including the T-ship launch bay below the Tower. She felt Cyborg and Robin in the Operations Room, discussing something serious if their anger, worry, and blended calm were any indication. But no Beast Boy. Anywhere. He was just... gone.

"Starfire," Raven said seriously, almost pulling her gaze by sheer force of will. "Where. Is. Beast Boy?"

"We do not know," Starfire answered again, tears welling up in her green eyes as the worst seemed to cross her mind. "He was not here when we arrived."

Raven shot off the bed, _Crack!_ s echoing loudly as the walls developed fissures along their surfaces. Her steps were quick, the need for floating off the ground almost unnecessary as the Tower seemed to warp around her.

' _Where is he?!_ ' Raven clutched her head as some part of her thoughts seemed to shoot off into space, accompanied by a bottomless pit in her chest. Something was wrong. Something was very wrong. And she didn't know what it was.

 _ **(Scene Break)**_

Cyborg poured over the security footage, his scowl never ceasing since he logged the time-frame he had detected the intrusion. He didn't care when he watched Gizmo break into their home, he cared quite a bit that Mad Mod had hypnotized his buddy. On any given day, those might have been funny in the end, and they'd all make jokes about it later. What sent the exposed gears and wires of his broken arms on the fritz was the video and audio of Mod ordering a hypnotized Beast Boy to bite Raven. Triple-in that Cinderblock had almost squeezed BB into a living tube of toothpaste, and Psimon had put bruises on Raven's arms and legs by sheer force of his psychic powers. If he wasn't a hero, he'd….

Robin cleared his throat over Cyborg's shoulder, catching his attention. "Calm down Cyborg." He gestured to his friend's exposed hand gripping the Operations console, indents forming around his fingers.

"Well, excuse me! We only have to replace half the Tower anyway. What's a little more gonna do at this point?!" Cyborg snapped, inhaling deeply before yelling out loud at the screen. But that clearly wasn't the main issue.

"Feel better?" Robin asked calmly, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"How are you so calm?" Cyborg demanded incredulously. "Our Tower was broken into and virtually destroyed, Raven's in the Med-Bay, BB is AWOL, and all we have to verify what happened is half a video."

"Because someone needs to be," he stated stoically, setting himself as an emotional pillar for the time being. "If we all fall apart, then no one is there to pick everyone else up again. Now focus, where did the footage cut off."

Sighing, Cyborg pointed to one of the many pop-ups that dominated the Operations window screens. "As soon as the lightning struck, systems went down after that, and the backup generator kicked in. It did its job and prioritized emergency operations. Unfortunately, that didn't include the minor security. Good thing it rebooted the higher security functions, like the security codes and proximity sensors, though."

"Okay," Robin stated, looking over the video of the lightning striking the inside of the Tower. "Beast Boy disappears, followed by strange green lights on Cinderblock, followed by lightning."

"Think it was aliens?" Cyborg inquired seriously, not crossing off any probable scenario. "Might have been Raven's powers too. Who knows?"

"Can we zoom in anymore? On Cinderblock's arm." Cyborg typed in a few commands over the keyboard, satisfied when the video enlarged, and sharpened. "Those lights. They're bugging me. Lightning shouldn't just strike the Tower like that."

"We can worry about what happened afterward later," Cyborg reasoned, glancing at the sample he had collected from the Commons. One of a thousand green quills the size of kitchen knives embedded in the walls; something that happened after the video feed disappeared. The DNA sequencing was clearly BB's, but the genetic information itself was foreign. It wasn't native to Earth. "We know that they won, the villains were left to sit, Raven was taken to the Med-Bay, and BB is now gone. We should focus on where he went."

"Do you think _it_ is loose again? It could have come out during the fight," Robin asked carefully, knowing this would be a sore subject, but it had to be asked. "I'm just eliminating a very probable scenario," he defended when Cyborg raised his eyebrow.

"I don't think so," Cyborg said, mimicking Robin's careful tone as he counted off on his fingers. "Reason one: Raven's here. Reason two: I doubt _Apex_ could have bandaged her up. Reason three: Even though I found traces of Apex around the room, the DNA doesn't match the quills, so something else kicked ass. Reason four: I can't track B's belt like last time since all of them say he should be here in the Tower. Not one missing. That, and his communicator was left in his room.

"But I hear ya. As much as it sucks to talk about, we can't exclude the possibility. However, that isn't possible with everything I've gathered from the scene. That being said, don't bring it up casually with Raven. Or even seriously. Or at all. Yeah?"

Robin nodded his understanding. "Keep trying to figure out where Beast Boy went. Whatever he's dealing with, he shouldn't have to deal with it alone. I'll see if there were any other villains that made it under the radar, since no one actually likes telling us when _our_ villains escape." Robin pulled up a minimized set of documents, opening them off to the side of Cyborgs research.

Everyone was exhausted, and a cup of coffee right then would have gone a long way for both the detective and cyborg. Unfortunately, one of the strange green quills had shattered the coffee pot in the Common's kitchen, and the spare was buried in a box somewhere in storage. Coffee could wait.

"So how'd our four crooks get out of their snug little igloos?" Cyborg asked, going over the video, and every other factor he could think of that would give him at least a clue as to what had happened to BB. He was hooked up to the Tower mainframe, using the extra processing power to move through his stack with precision and speed. He'd sort through the city cameras after he had finished with the Tower.

"Cinderblock and Psimon were unfrozen under mysterious circumstances. As far as I can tell from the data that is only _now_ making its way into my hands, their ice was melted rapidly from the exterior. Someone broke them out. And there isn't any indication of what or who did it. It could have been a metahuman as easily as a blow torch. They're blaming us for not giving us a full list of villains that might have a reason to bust them out."

"I get it," Cyborg stated, hiding his irritation with their situation with a plain tone. "Governments and political bullshit like to dick measure by pretending they have everything under control, right up until we call them out on losing the villains, then they blame it on us in some way for their incompetency. And the only list that they need is the comprehensive list of _all_ our villains. Revenge makes some interesting bedfellows. I mean, who would have suspected these guys would work together?"

"Yeah. When villains team up with little-to-no prior experience together, it just shows how far they're willing to go," Robin agreed, before continuing with his escape assessment. "Gizmo has been missing since Beast Boy's assault on the Brotherhood. Mas and Menos swore up and down that they had frozen him then, but he and few other villains that had been restrained, disappeared. No clue where to though."

"And that leaves?"

"Mod was shipped off to England," Robin started. "Something about extradition laws, and as a British citizen, he should be held in a British custody. … … …."

"What was that? I didn't hear you?" Cyborg asked, mostly ignoring the fact that Robin had mumbled the entire last part.

"He got out when his block of ice melted about a year ago. Someone spilt tea over the control panel to the cooling systems securing him."

Cyborg couldn't help the laugh that burst out of his mouth. Small pink rings of blush entered his cheeks as he continued, signs he was using up more breath than he could replace. It took a full minute for him to calm down. "Oh baby, that is rich! Gotta love Brit's and their tea."

"It's not that funny," Robin chided, unable to help the small smile that brushed his lips. A frown replaced it quickly as he sent an encrypted e-mail to varies wardens of prisons that held their villains. "We'll know more in a few hours or so once I ask the Wardens'. A couple days at most."

"And how will you know if they're not pullin' our legs?" Cyborg asked as he finished his pouring over what was left of the Tower's recorded footage. 'Come on B. Where did you run off too?' Now for scanning the city in real-time.

"I snuck a few proxies into the e-mail coding. It'll do a sort through their files once opened and send back any data I might need, e-mailed conveniently from the address I sent it to. Best part is, it leaves no digital footprint."

"And no one will find out about it?" Cyborg asked with an inquiring eye. He didn't feel like having any government agency, foreign or domestic, coming after them. He still assumed that prison was an open possibility for Robin 'acquiring' Wayne Enterprise watermarks.

Robin just looked at him, a new look of seriousness dominating his face. "The program and encryption was designed by Batman," he stated.

"Alright. 'Nough said," Cyborg amended with his hands held up in surrender, turning back to his task. It had grown quiet, almost too quickly. Cyborg kept clacking away over the keys, and scanning his workload while Robin finished sending his e-mails. While waiting for the replies, Robin began editing his 'Active Villain' cases now that four more were confirmed released, and now recaptured. He still had to await the paperwork that would come with that as well.

"Do you think I'm the reason he left?" Robin asked suddenly, not turning from his browsing through carefully sorted files, earning him a look of worry from Cyborg.

"I don't blame him for biting Raven," he explained, looking past his screen and out the window vacantly. "He resisted as long as he could. Mod's the one that pushed him."

Cyborg had watched that scene a few times. They all knew how susceptible Beast Boy was to hypnosis, so for him to not only stop himself, but _vocally_ refuse in animal form. It had been a wonder in and of itself. Cyborg could only be so pleased though. The end result was still far less than desired.

"I just… he…. I have to apologize. For all our sakes. I need him to know that he's still welcome on the team." Robin looked back at Cyborg. "I want to change, and I can start with knowing that he fought Mod's control. I don't approve of how he handled the villains, but I'm not exactly one to talk. I've been the villain before."

Cyborg used what was left of his destroyed pinky to clear out his ear. "Was that just me, or did I hear the Boy Wonder say in a very round-about way that he was wrong?"

"I don't _think_ I was wrong," Robin stated firmly, "but I _know_ I handled it wrong. I was immature and angry, and rather than come up with a solution, I just added to the problem. I overstepped my bounds as leader by threatening him when he was scared and confused.

"And even this morning, I acted hastily without any evidence to support my actions. And I'm supposed to be a detective: concrete evidence. I threatened him when there was no probable reason to. I wasn't wrong to act, but I acted in the wrong. I should have scolded him, not threatened him."

"And now that Raven _has_ been hurt?" Cyborg hated being the one to ask, but he had a feeling that was the main issue.

Robin sighed. "I think he blames himself, or assumes we'll blame him. I don't think there's any lecture I could give that he hasn't told himself a thousand times over. He's probably reamed himself more than I ever could. So there really isn't any disciplinary action I could take to get through to him."

Cyborg nodded warily. "So, that's it? Never thought I'd see you do a one-eighty like that."

"I'm not Batman. And I never will be," Robin stated firmly. "I live by own policies. And right now, the policies require that I change. I _want_ to change."

Cyborg smiled a little, glad to see that Robin had dropped from his own high horse instead of being knocked off of it. But his smile quickly faded. It was a shame it had taken this entire emergency for him to change though. It would be a slow change, but if he was adamant, it would last.

"We'll continue looking for him, but ultimately, even if we find him, only he can decide if he's ready to come back. But until Raven wakes up, we won't know the exact story." He gestured to the quill by Cyborg's hand. "I'd like to know how he took down four villains by himself. Specifically why two of them were dosed with neurotoxic paralytic venom with injection points the size of shivs, why another was effectively knocked unconscious in his own crater, and why the other was curled up in a ball crying but unharmed."

Robin's communicator chirped, preventing him from continuing. "Robin here."

"Yes, boyfriend Robin." Starfire's face made an appearance on the communicator screen, her smile brief as her expression turned grave. "Friend Raven is thee 'up and about', and I fear she is doing the heading to you. And she does not appear to be in the mood for thee chitting of chatting."

"That's not good," Cyborg commented.

"I will be there shortly. Please be the kind and considerate. She was not happy to hear that we do not know where friend Beast Boy is."

"Yeah, that's definitely not good."

Robin glared at Cyborg before turning to his communicator. "Alright. See you in a little bit."

With a nod, Starfire cut her connection, leaving Robin to stare at a blank screen that reflected his face almost perfectly. No sooner had he lowered the device, the doors hissed… or groaned and screeched open as they bent around their frames, a fading black aura signifying her arrival.

Raven was… something. Neither Robin nor Cyborg could read her expression as she marched into the Ops Room, the air around her practically miraging. Was she angry? Desperate? Stoic? A strange combination of all three?

"Hey Raven," Cyborg greeted, breaking the uncomfortable silence through a nervously forced smile as she came closer. "Glad to see you're aw-"

"Where is he?" she demanded, effectively cutting him off.

Robin braved that walking hand grenade by speak up. "We don't know Raven. We're looking for him."

"What do you mean you don't know?!" Her voice was dripped with an anger that didn't match the blank expression on her face, and a few of the lights shattered, causing Cyborg to groan inwardly.

Robin swallowed the lump in his throat, feeling like he was one of those ants under a magnifying glass getting burned alive. "We can't track him. His uniforms are all accounted for in the Tower, and his communicator was left in his room. We tried the camera's, but it looks like lightning shut down the systems when it struck the Tower."

"I'm, uh… checking the city cameras as we speak," Cyborg chimed in. "I'm looking for anything and everything Raven, don't worry. Our boy will be fine."

Raven seemed to relax a little when she heard they were looking for him. A hanging exhaustion seemed to hit her all at once as she sat back in one of the rooms few chairs, the extent of her healing trance catching up with her almost immediately. She had used so much power that day, it was amazing she was standing at all.

"Why would he leave?" she asked weakly, unable to lift her head to glean an answer.

Robin and Cyborg shared a look of sympathy for her before Cyborg opened up. "He probably needs some alone time Raven. We're checking to make sure _because_ we can't track him right now. Ya know? Better safe then sorry. That wasn't an easy fight you guys went through, and he probably snuck off to a place he could sleep for a while. You know how he hates being woken up." He decided to avoid mentioning B biting her all together. Shaking that thought away, he smiled gently. "But we're not gonna let him wallow around, right?"

She nodded, the mirage around her fading swiftly. That was a good sign.

"Can you tell us what happened?" Robin asked, trying to be the 'kind and considerate' his girlfriend had requested. "When you're ready of course."

She looked up, meeting their leader's masked eyes. "How much do you know?"

"Everything up until the lightning struck the Tower," Robin answered honestly, keeping his voice kind where he wanted to slip into serious. "When the systems shut down, we lost the feed as well."

She looked down again, some of her hair hiding her face as it fell absently. "What's going to happen when he comes back?" The underlying question was directed at Robin, 'What's going to happen because he bit me?' She was so tired, she didn't have the energy to grill Robin, much less pretend that she would.

"I'll scold him, he'll apologize to you, and we'll figure it out from there," Robin stated, glad when she looked at him in surprise. "I'm not gonna punish him when Mod pulled the strings like that. But we still need to figure out how to keep it from happening again."

"But he'll blame himself," she replied defensively, her ear suddenly tweaking. Glancing up, Starfire floated into the room, eyeing the bent doors with some worry. "I did everything I could to make sure he didn't feel like that again. But now…."

"Then we'll do our best to reassure him otherwise because we know he will," Robin assured her. "It wasn't his fault, and I know you don't blame him. So I see no reason to ruffle my feathers just yet."

She allowed the smallest of smiles to touch her lips, even as Starfire rested a reassuring hand on her shoulder, the Tamaranian having caught the latest bits of the conversation. "Do not do the worrying friend. We will make sure he understands that our thoughts of him have not done the changing. I am sure he will be most happy to hear this."

"But first, you should get some rest," Cyborg offered kindly. "Can't send him to another dimension if you look like you might fall over. We both know he won't take you seriously if you threaten him like that."

Raven glanced up at his tattered arms. "What about you guys?"

"I'll keep looking for BB, Robin had some villains to check over, and Starfire should probably make sure Silkie has eaten," Cyborg reassured dismissively. "We'll worry about tomorrow when it comes."

Raven nodded her appreciation; her cloak falling into place as she stood up to leave. Before she made it to the door, she turned back appraising them sternly. "Let me know the moment you find him, or he when comes back." And she left.

They waited several moments. It was quiet, a building unease among them as they watched their friend disappear down the hall just before the doors whirred weakly, unable to shut from their bent shape.

"And what if he does not return?" Starfire asked, the question bouncing around in their heads before she had even asked. "I may not know much, but for friend Beast Boy to harm Raven, I feel he will not be so forgiving of himself as we are of him."

Robin frowned as he seriously pondered her question, his hands coming together for him to rest his chin. "We'll do the best we can. If we find him and he just needs space, we'll give it to him. Let him sort it out."

"I hope that's all it is," Cyborg stated, staring after where Raven disappeared to. "For all our sakes."

 _ **(Scene Break)**_

Raven trudged down the hall, half tempted to believe them. It seemed like the most logical step. Garfield had his own way of dealing with things. But that hollow feeling in her chest didn't let up, taunting her that something was wrong. He didn't run when he had problems; he pulled down his mask, smiled, and weathered it. But this time, he had left. What did that mean?

She was glad she didn't have to stay in the Med-Bay as she trudged to her room. It was strange, but everything felt different, and not just in a theoretical sense. She couldn't put her finger on it though. Little wiffs in the air had her scrunching her nose, her ears perking reflexively as she listened. There was no one around but her, but the short hairs of her arm bristled.

Before she knew it, she was standing in front of _his_ door, half tempted to just leave it be, but….

She opened his door, too tired to phase through it. The first thing that hit her was how little it had changed. The last time she had seen it, he had been begging her to tell him if he had hurt anyone.

She couldn't help looking at the bandage on her arm now, hating the false-irony that came back full-circle. The sleeve had been cut away for access, exposing her ashy skin. There was only a little blood soaked through, so the wound had been cleaned. Other than that, it felt fine. It wasn't hurting, if her poking at it was any indication.

She looked back up. Some things had changed. His bottom bunk was made for one. His newly tattered uniform tossed prone over it, and his communicator rested on top of that. Maybe he really didn't want to be tracked down. That thought left a foreboding feeling in her gut.

And the smell… that was different too. It wasn't pungent and stale like it normally was. There was a faint odor to be sure, but she was picking up something else now. It smelled as old as the sour scent, yet it hinted at something of refreshing. She sniffed again, inhaling as she pondered what it was. It crept into the verges of her memory: something heavy, earthy, yet vaguely sweet.

It hadn't occurred to her before, but now if she closed her eyes, and pretended that there were insects buzzing about, she could feel the memory of Beast Boy's Africa begin to take shape around her. But it was so subtle, barely a trailing wisp in the air. A sweet scent to remind him where his home was. Or perhaps, the otherwise pungent odors were his attempts to mask the faint smell that brought with it painful memories. Either way, it was strange for Raven to capture the scent so clearly.

She quietly left the room, letting her thoughts drown out as she began walking back to her room. For some reason, visiting his room made her feel emptier.

'He left,' Happy said, an uncharacteristically detached tone to her voice, staring off into some blank space in Raven's mind. 'He left and he didn't say when he'd be back.'

'H-he b-bit ME!' Timid cried, pulling so deep into her grey hood, any more and she might implode. 'He's so mean! I thought we were friends!'

'Given his weakness to hypnotism, it was the most likely scenario to happen,' Knowledge reasoned, but still… her disappointment was clear.

'I'm gonna kill them!' Rage shrieked, all four eyes glowing bright enough to appear as one large one. 'I'm gonna kill them for hypnotizing Beast Boy! They made him bite us! They made him sad! I'll tear them apart! Rip them a new sphincter! I'll-'

'Who cares?' Envy muttered, squatting down to play with mental dirt. 'He got the bad guys back plenty. I'd hate to be them.'

'He turned into a Malkarasha,' Brave stated, looking around for support. 'That means _something_ , right? Right?'

'I agree. Who cares if he bit us?' Rude commented. 'But still, he- he left. That- that… he left.' Even Rude seemed unable to insult him now.

'He said he wanted to have coffee,' Passion bawled, her hands covering her face as she tried to wipe away her tears. ' _We_ were supposed to have coffee.'

'Calm yourselves, all of you,' Temperance restrained, a sad smile touching her face. 'There is no need to worry yet. We need to focus our energies on recovering, then worry about Garfield.'

'Do you think he's coming back, Rae?' Hope asked, her normally bright demeanor dim. 'He has to come back.'

Suffering didn't comment, her four moist eyes seeming to glance at Raven from within. They begged for an answer, some iota of confirmation that supported Hope's question. That empty feeling… it seemed to rise from Suffering, and she was begging for an alternative to that lonely void.

Raven didn't have an answer. As she approached her bedroom, she was uncertain. She'd never dealt with this before. Sure, Cyborg had left once, but she had known he just needed to calm down. Starfire had left when she thought her friends didn't want her any more, but her energy signature was easy to follow. She had left when she was afraid she would put them in danger, but the team had known where to look. Robin had left when their lives were at stake, and under Slade's thumb.

Beast Boy hadn't left though. He was the last Titan; the team's constant. The one thing that made it consistent. But now-

A brush against her skin, and she reacted. She lashed out against the loosened fabric that wrapped around her arm. It was his doing, it was his fault! He was supposed to be her friend! A black aura enveloped the fabric, shredding it on contact, the pieces floating absently to the floor.

She stared at her arm for Azar knew how long. She had entered a healing trance. She had healed her body. Yet now an ugly scar enveloped her arm; the bite mark stood out against her pale skin, a gleaming silver sheen that gave it contrast. Her first scar.

She had received plenty of physical wounds in her life, but they healed, never to mar her flesh. This one should have been no different. Yet even as she looked at it, she couldn't help the anger she felt. It was bad enough that he had left, but now she was marked with his attack, a physical reminder that she had been hurt by a friend. No villain had ever done that, why should a dear friend?!

She didn't know if she _could_ blame him. If their roles had been reversed, she would have left too. If she had hurt him, had seen a permanent reminder of her failure on his body, she would have ran as fast as she could. If her trance couldn't heal it, then what could?

Raven stepped into her darkened room, holding back her anger, holding back her tears. She had been trained to deal with this; to suppress her feelings. But it hurt. It hurt so much. Why? She'd never felt this bad before, like a second half of her was thrown through a wood-chipper. She'd never felt this way before healing him, so why now? Why about him?

She collapsed on her bed, not bothering to envelope in the covers. She just laid there, a shutter moving through her as she stared blankly at the head of her bed. She kicked off her shoes, turning slightly so she could feel the comfort of a pillow support her head. Her raven-clock greeted her coldly, as if reminding her of one important fact: it had only been a day. Twenty-four hours. One-thousand four-hundred and forty minutes. And yet it had been an eternity. In one day, she had learned so much. She had found her best friend, only to lose him. Twenty-four hours to evolve a simple friendship into companionship, only to feel it crash back down.

Her eyes mysteriously adjusted instantly, the dark brightening as she felt her pupils expand suddenly, filtering in as much light as could be claimed. The room was almost completely visible. Dappled colors were strewn about, but she could see clearly. Even from that distance, she could read the titles on her bookshelf, a feat she could never remember achieving. She could smell the ink bottles on her desk. She could hear the hum of magic coming off the items in her room.

She closed her eyes, prepared to let sleep take her so she could wake up to that morning, relive today as if it had all been a terrible dream. But her body couldn't adjust. The things she sensed, they were all subtle, but enough that she couldn't drop her focus. She opened her eyes again in irritation, furrowing as she made out something in the dark. An object next to her clock. She reached out hazily, grabbing the foreign object, knowing instantly it wasn't native to her room. All her senses honed on it, ignoring her surroundings once again.

A small blushing smile looked up at her, and her eyes widened. A cymbal in each hand, a curled tail. Beast Boy's toy monkey sat in her hand absently, waiting for her response.

For the first time in years, for the first time since the day she ended the world, Raven felt tears trickle down her face as she looked at the toy. She had cried in her mind before, she had cried in a mindscape where it was safe. She had cried in her sleep. But this was reality. She wasn't supposed to cry, she wasn't supposed to feel. And yet….

She pulled the monkey closer, holding it to her chest as both her arms enveloped it. Slowly, her chest began to constrict, her shoulders heaving slightly. Every breath was sharp and heavy, a dark chill ran up her spine, and her world enveloped on itself until she was alone. She felt… _she felt_ …. She couldn't open her eyes as they squeezed shut, the trickle turning to a consistent stream, a silent sob racking her body as it curled in on itself, her room vibrating gently as if her leaking power couldn't get a decent hold of anything in her vicinity.

The last time she had seen the toy was in Beast Boy's room, and now it was in hers. A gift, a reminder that his parents had existed. The last reminder he had of them. Now it was in her arms, taking her tears. He wouldn't have left it. She had felt his endearment to it, his attachment to it. If he was gone forever, then he would have taken it with him. But it was left with her.

A weak cry left her mouth as her teeth gritted. She didn't know. Was it a departing gift, or was he coming back to reclaim it? The uncertainty, the desire to keep her hopes from shattering; for that reason her tears flowed; torn between the hope of him returning and the despair that he never would.

She knees came up to her chest, boxing in her new companion as she let her tears fall freely, pulling it closer.

Hopefully this time it was a promise to return, and not a gift from the departed.

* * *

 **A/N:** And that ended like a 50-gallon bucket of sour gummy worms.

Forever again, if there is anything that needs edited, or is connecting in a weird way for you guys, let me know and I'll try to clean up the text. I do accept grammar and spelling errors too (PM these if possible, and I'll add them to my next Hard Edit)

As always (and I'll just keep posting this because its true), keep posting your constructive criticisms, as they will help me know what to look for in my future writings, and for the days I decide to do a hard edit. I look forward to growing as a writer for you guys and myself.

I had this mind for the ending for a while, but it wasn't part of the original script I had drawn up. A bit of improve, but I like how it turned out. I was running a bit low on brain fuel when I did my final edit, so please let me know if anything doesn't flow properly. I'll fix it up when I do my final edit (as per usual, please Private Message those)

I hope you guys enjoyed, so please Read and Review. Please indulge my curiosity, and let me know what parts you liked, what parts need work, and overall what you guys think about it so far :D And I'll respond the best I can with my reasoning behind the matter... as long as it isn't a SPOILER!

 _Tamaranian Translations (Original Translation)_ **:**

 _Valbak Kesbarkof_ \- a shelled insectoid creature close to a large-truck-sized Trilobite-like creature with a hammered tail and an aggressive disposition. Tamaranians consider this creature type of delicacy (like crab or lobster to humans), but they are considerably hard to bring down due to their exoskeletons, size, and the fact they live on Tamaran. Like the lobster, their tails are particularly succulent. But details, details.

(Review Response disclaimer: I ramble sometimes. That's just me being excited. If I don't ramble, I'm still excited, just calm. Also, I have a "different" sense of humor. I swear it's not you, it's completely and utterly me.)

And now for the new _Reviews Responses_ :

\- Chicolovesquacking: Thanks! Glad to have you aboard. As far as the snake... maybe. The best/worst part about Beast Boy is that there are too many forms to chose from, and only some of them are viable to varies situations. We'll see though.

\- dld51: Hopefully your worries were set aside, or maybe they're worse now. Enjoy all the same.

\- TTJSRABB977: Dang. You know how to make a heart beat a little faster. I can say I've enjoyed most every moment of writing this (except my insistent need to take breaks that involve numerous cups of coffee and a peanut butter wrap... on second thought, I enjoy that part of it too). As much as I hope my story is never forgotten, all good things come to an end... But that's what sequels are for.

\- Eris: The Malkarasha is my own creation. It all started when I wrote the Gorilla-Rhino hybrid. Then when I was thinking up a new hybrid for a different scene, I wanted a feline creature with porcupine quills (because a kitten with little poofy quills would be adowable!). It just sort of evolved from there. I took inspiration from the Nekomata of Japanese mythology (often depicted with two tails) and the Kavat from the videogame Warframe (some variants have spaded tails). It became a creature of Azarath when I gave little Raven that plushie. Add in a loyal disposition, panther predatory visage, and the Xenomorphic scorpion tail tips, and it was beautifully perfect.

Enjoy!

\- Guest: I can tell it wasn't even seven in the morning.

I'll be sure to let my sister know that you loved her work. As for Beast Boy/Raven angst, I think I successfully added to it. :D

\- FanficsOP: Why thank ya very much!

\- FF8cerberus: I think Mento's training was specifically against having his mind read, not to prevent someone from hypnotizing him. Protecting secrets and all that. And while psychics can induce a hypnotic state, Mod's hypnosis wasn't psychically induced, so it wouldn't have done any good anyway I think... plus Beast Boy was unconscious. *shrugs* Complicated stuff this psychic powers business.

\- Junior VB: Indeed it was. Indeed it was.

*End of Review Response

This was officially the last chapter, now all that's left is the final farewell. Read Falling Apart - Epilogue, and we'll send her off.


	23. Epilogue

Epilogue:

* * *

 **A/N:** Alas, our end will conclude today... or will it?

Week twenty-four commences. The weather is cooler, and the sweet rain is said to be coming once more.

Before I mark this story as 'Completed' I am going to do a final Hard Edit. I'll be looking back at all the advice you guys sent me via Review or Private Message, and go forth as such. I'll also attempt to clean up the Summary, as it's been bugging me. I know I've improved over the course of this story, and hopefully I can take that back to my previous chapters.

We're at one-hundred and four Reviews ("I'm so excited! And I just can't hide it!"), eighty Favorites, ninety-one Followers, and over sixteen-thousand five-hundred views. (P.S. I use this particular note as a kind of mile stone for myself). We broke one-hundred Reviews! I'm a very happy writer right now. I want to thank you all for your love, your support, and the drive you given me. It's so much better than a shot of coffee. I hope to see you all again very soon!

Read and Review, post your Questions, Comments, and Concerns; I'll do my best to accommodate any responses you might have for me

Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans, but that never stopped me from watching the series for the fifth time through.

Without further adieu. *Que the dimming of the lights*

* * *

Falling Apart:

Epilogue-

"Anything? Anything at all?" Robin asked tiredly, his eyes drooping as he starred at his side of the screen, watching footage trail by slowly.

It was the wee hours of the morning… and by morning, it was a little after two, some time left before the butt-crack of dawn. It had been hours. Hours of searching, combing through every surmountable amount of footage. Nothing. It was as if Beast Boy had just… disappeared.

"I've filtered through every shade of green imaginable across every camera in the city," Cyborg stated as he unplugged from the Tower, his broken mechanical parts charged and chipper, but his wholesome biological parts groaning tiredly. "I even backpacked off of some private security networks. If B went anywhere, it wasn't through the city."

Robin nodded his understanding, glancing over to his girlfriend, sleeping in a chair with her head bending uncomfortably over the top sleepily, Silkie curled up on her lap. They had fallen asleep quickly once Starfire had found the mutant larva hiding snugly in her room, happy her _Bumgorf_ hadn't been caught up in the fight.

'What now?' he asked internally, questioning his next move. It didn't take long for him to come up with a game plan.

"I'll alert the Honorary Titans and Titans East of the situation in the morning. See if they catch any wind of him," Robin offered, rubbing his eyes beneath his mask. Absently, he pulled out a birdarang, twirling it as he closed his portion of files on the Titans computer. He wouldn't get much until the recipients of his e-mails woke up and made it to their offices anyway.

"I'll set up some filters on all social media sites," Cyborg said with agreement. "Anyone so much as Tweets about him, I'll have instant real-time feed as to who posted and where it happened."

Robin's nodded his approval. They should find Beast Boy quickly that way; after all, he was green, a superhero, and tended to stand out like a sore thumb. Or a green thumb?

"Anyway," Cyborg continued, standing up from his chair with yawn and a stretch, "I'm gonna hit the hay." He turned to walk away before his large frame stopped short, something clearly on his mind. "Just remember Rob, if you _are_ gonna change, prove it with your actions. We're _all_ counting on the man you become."

Listening to his friend walk away, Robin thought on his words. He knew better than anyone that his words weren't enough to inspire unless action was taken. If he expected no less from his team, then they would expect no less from him. But if he was officially cutting away from that side of himself, then what did he fill in the new space with?

A snort followed by light snoring drew his attention back to Starfire, watching as her tongue lapped at the side of her face, all three feet of it almost trailing to the floor lazily. He smiled.

No… he knew what to fill that space with. He knew what he wanted to be. How he was going to do it was a mystery to him, but he had his heart set.

And he knew exactly who had changed him the most. Now it was time for him to pick up the slack and finish it.

He walked over, gently lifting her bridle style from her chair, ensuring Silkie remained secure in her lap. Her head rested on his shoulder, fitting perfectly in the crook of his neck. Sighing in her sleep, she nestled in further, her lips brushing his neck.

He stifled a squeak, his whole face burning beet red as he began walking her to her room. He knew how to disable a bomb, build a computer, combat ninjas; but right then, those skills meant _nothing_.

Sniffing into his neck gently, she moaned, her arms sprouting up around his neck. "Ro-bin…."

His breath stalled as his face drew out, the mask of his eyes going white with trembling. 'WhatdoIdo? WhatdoIdo? WhatdoIdo? I'm not trained for this!'

"…I do not… wish to do the… going to the… building of... educational… facilities," she mumbled, attempting to roll over in his arms. "Please… do not… make me. The food is... unpleasant." Silkie chittered in agreement, snuggling into his _Knorfka_ sleepily.

Robin's face gave way naturally, his most sincere smile forming on his face as he held her closer. "It's okay. You won't have to. I promise. No school food."

He would enjoy the moment while it lasted. Because he might not get to hold such a moment again for a while.

 _ **(Scene Break)**_

Control Freak felt himself fall through time-space at the author's behest, landing with a splat into a puddle of cold water. His hands still bound, he shivered as the beating rain plastered his hair across his face, blocking his vision. He felt the time lapse across dimensions; it had been hours since his interrogation, at least, on this side of reality. He could only assume that the evil author-that-be had designated his return as a necessity. He groaned, doing his best to seat himself upright. He continued to wallow in the puddle, his state of attire already soaked through, so it made no difference whether he stayed there or not.

Looking around through the torrent rain, he noticed the conditioning unit, the large antennae that shot into the sky above his head, the door that led to a staircase: he was on top of a building. He muttered miserably, gently pulling his moppy hair away from his eyes to clear his vision. The rain didn't help. The amass of drops already obscured most of his vision, but the steam that arose from the warmer rooftop made it even more so. One thing was clear through the haze though: he could see the Tower.

In the distance, he could distinguish the segmented golden light it provided, like a lighthouse beacon amidst the dreary weather. Being a villain, one might normally assume that he would hate that alphabetical glow with a passion, but he admired it. It was a testament that it had weathered everything thrown at it over the years. But now… he could sense through the Primal Monitor, everything that had happened… and some of what would happen later. He could hear the broken tears that fell, feel the determined heart that beat; it was a cruel joke all the same. It wasn't fair, being at the whims of a fate no one could yet see. And the Titans were at the center of that fate, already caught in its clutches.

Control Freak sighed miserably, feeling devoid without his nerd-in-arms. For some reason, it left his occupation as the Titan's personal challenger decrepit and bland. The changeling had always brought a life to the world that even he, like his teammates, had taken for granted. And now the sky reflected the world without him.

"I never thought this would happen."

He splashed in shock as he was pulled from his reverie, turning to see a cloaked figure next to him. Dark grey folds that might have been brighter in any other lighting enshrouded the other form, the rain splashing dirty water around its drooping edges. He tried looking up, to see into the hood that hid the face, only to be met with an expected darkness. The world was near pitch black as it was, lit only by the Jump City lights.

"I never thought she would fall so easily," the figure clarified, unseen eyes holding onto the Tower. "Everything she worked for lost in a single moment. I thought this could be avoided, that I wouldn't have to intervene."

Control Freak just looked at the guest, unable to see where the writer of their fates was taking this, but judging from the voice, this person was a woman. A woman he knew nothing about.

"Um, who are you?" he asked, nothing else she said really processing as he observed her for a response.

She glanced down at him, the faint shadow of a mouth smiled kindly at him, hinting at a stroke of familiarity he wished he could remember. "Once a fool, once a victim; once a teacher, once a trophy," she responded cryptically, turning back to the Tower. "And now, gathered to prepare for an inevitable end. I hoped I would never have had to reveal myself, but alas, things have become complicated."

The cuffs faded from his wrists as a slim hand revealed itself, a strange circle of golden symbols appearing around her fingers, disappearing as the last of his bonds faded from existence. He rubbed around his wrists enthusiastically, trying to pulse life back into his digits as his fingers flexed. Robin really did make the cuffs too tight.

He glanced up, observing his would-be savior with a mixture of suspicion and worry. "I hate to seem ungrateful, but I wanna know what you want with me."

"Isn't it obvious, Control Freak?"

He bolted around, met with two more silhouetted figures. One easily taller than all present: built and thick, though surprisingly well-proportioned with hands that rested behind his back. The voice was calm, calculated, powerful; as if it held all the cards, but was still holding those cards close to his chest. The second was shorter, slimmer, arms crossed and watching him intensely, as though calculating how to cut him into smaller pieces, but didn't speak, as if waiting for permission. But he couldn't see their faces, so he was as left in the dark as the audience was.

"We're here, to recruit you," he stated, a hint of sadistic pleasure entering his voice. "Not many people can see what you see. And we all have a common enemy that is closing in. At best, we might have a few years to prepare. But do try to understand, it's for your benefit as well."

"Peace," the cloaked woman next to him commanded gently. "We've waited three years too long, but it is not time to reveal ourselves to them just yet. Only prepare." The eyes under the hood looked down at him. "Will you join us?"

Control Freak glanced between them as he nodded his consent, a familiar inkling entering his eyes as he swallowed, his mind catching up with the figures he was surrounded by.

'Dear SteinMon,' he worried mentally, 'what are you gonna do to those kids that you brought in these people?'

( _A few_ _reoccurring_ _Original Characters, a_ _downpour_ _into the Extended Universe, character development, new powers, a shocking but somewhat anticipated revelation, and a proposition no one could refuse_ ), SteinMon1920518 answered him vaguely, a serious note to the voice that projected. ( _And of course, angst, action, romance, slice-of-life, and dread. But that's still a little ways away_ )

( _Welcome to Earth-428_ _, buddy_ )

* * *

 **A/N:** And we are done! Sorry to leave it on an overall low note, but honestly, I couldn't imagine it any other way. It can only get happier... I think.

Forever again, if there is anything that needs edited, or is connecting in a weird way for you guys, let me know and I'll try to clean up the text. I do accept grammar and spelling errors too (PM these if possible, and I'll add them to the Hard Edit I'll be doing over the next couple weeks). This is the final call for these, and I'd love to hear what you guys found, whether or not your reread the whole story (which I by no means expect)

As always (and I'll just keep posting this because its true), keep posting your constructive criticisms, as they will help me know what to look for in my future writings. I'm glad I got to write this for you all, and I know I've grown, and I hope to grow even further for you guys and myself. Our journey doesn't end here.

The best part about an Epilogue (in my opinion) is that it often sets the stage for the next story. I want to build the characters, and right now, that mainly starts with Robin. I mentioned his desire to change, and I intend to see that through (and that's a promise)

I won't reveal anything about Beast Boy's whereabouts, when/if he returns, or anything else for that matter. You can't make me tell you, even if you try to tickle me to death.

In case I haven't made it clear, I am preparing a sequel as the second installment of a series. The 2nd Book will be much shorter than this one (I think); more of an interlude leading into Book 3 (also untitled... for now).

I hope you guys enjoyed, so please Read and Review. Please indulge my curiosity, and let me know what parts you liked, what parts need work, and overall what you guys think about it so far :D And I'll respond best I can with my reasoning behind the matter... as long as it isn't a SPOILER!

 _Tamaranian Translations (Original Translation)_ **:**

 _None this week_

(Review Response disclaimer: I ramble sometimes. That's just me being excited. If I don't ramble, I'm still excited, just calm. Also, I have a "different" sense of humor. I swear it's not you, it's completely and utterly me.)

And now for the new _Reviews Responses_ :

\- CalvinHobbesGatsby: It shows that you Review- ed for Chapter 1, so by the time you get this message, the story has reached it's conclusion, introducing us to the next stage of our little musical.

\- MalachiaDemon: Hopefully that wrapped up Control Freak (with a bow and everything), but a sequel is already in the works.

\- FanficsOP: Maybe? Perchance? Who knows? Sorry for the tease, but there is a long road ahead.

\- dld51: See the _Review Response_ directly above for details

\- wigglewolf27: I'll admit I was a little confused, but I'll pardon it given it explained your before-seven-in-the-morning attempts, so it's all good :)

I wish I could pull a Deus Ex Machina, and say everyone lived happily ever after. But no good story is built without a little despair and hope. When things seem darkest, a little light pierces through. When things seem brightest, a little is consumed to the dark. I hate to be that one author, but this is for her own good (God! I sound like my parents!), and everyone at that. It won't end yet, that I promise. Hopefully the Epilogue was enough to satiate you over until I begin posting for Book 2 (that has yet to be titled properly)

P.S. My sister thanks you for your comment for her villain setup. She now has a smug grin on her face, and it's all thanks to you.

\- FF8cerberus: Glad I got to surprise you a little bit. :D

\- Junior VB: _That_ is an excellent question, and one I really want to answer. Unfortunately, these lips are sealed by the Spoilers! you've just hit me with ;)

*End of Review Response

This is it. The final salute. But I'll be back... as soon as I figure out the title for the next story.

And with that, I hope to see you guys for Book 2. With all the love my stunted male emotions can muster *sniffle*,

\- SteinMon1920518

P.S. I will be posting another page after this, but it will mostly cover the things I'd like to change about my **Author's Notes:** sections. You won't need to read it, but you can if you like. It's not mandatory.


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